Nats leaders share Turnbull tensions

But the two leaders also share a penchant for political non-conformity and historic distrust of Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull amid suspicions of his potentially cumbersome grasp on policies impacting Australians, living outside the city limits.

After Mr Turnbull toppled Tony Abbott last September, Mr Joyce was one of several party members who ignited urgent negotiations to sign a new Coalition agreement; highlighted mostly by his oddly-timed, midnight media conference.

The day after Mr Abbott’s controversial dumping, National Party leader Warren Truss held Mr Turnbull at bay, with his party’s backing, as a new deal was fine-tuned; subsequently postponing question time starting, in the House of Representatives.

Some National Party MPs have described it as one of Mr Truss’s greatest leadership triumphs as he spearheaded pressure and tactics to score an unprecedented side-letter, to accompany the agreement.

The Coalition agreement pinpoints the general operational mechanics of the two parties forming and running government, like ministerial and staffing allocations.

But the macro story of the post-Abbott deal needed to form government and appease the Governor General was all about the National Party’s staunch mistrust of Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership style.

In demanding that the junior Coalition partners not be taken for granted again, concerns about Mr Turnbull’s reputation for siding more to the left rather than the right of conservative politics - and therefore at odds with regional Australians in areas like environmental management or water policy - had to be addressed.

The final agreement saw existing Coalition policies in areas like climate change targets maintained, while new measures were reached like adding water policy to Mr Joyce’s agriculture ministry, as per party policy.

As one of 10 in the party’s 21 federal MPs and Senators in office when Mr Turnbull was axed as Liberal leader in 2009, following backlash over an emissions trading scheme he was negotiating with Kevin Rudd, Senator Nash’s memories of the experience no doubt remain sharp.

In 2008, she defied Mr Turnbull to cross the floor and vote with the Greens in a move that supported her constituents’ views in opposing flawed carbon trading measures.

The former National Party staffer subsequently quit as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources and Conservation on demand from Mr Turnbull, over the spat.

But under Mr Abbott in the previous parliament, Senator Nash was redeemed and served as the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education.

She then became Assistant Health Minister following the 2013 election but stumbled slightly early on in the role due to a high-profile controversy involving her former chief of staff’s lobbying connections which saw him subsequently resign.

However, Senator Nash’s fortunes climbed again after being named Regional Health Minister in Mr Turnbull’s first ministry, and shot even higher by defeating six other candidates to claim the National’s deputy-leadership last week.

Senator Nash was subsequently awarded what she calls the “regional super portfolio” comprising ministries for rural health, regional communications and regional development.

Asked if Mr Turnbull had changed and better understands the National Party’s needs now during his latest leadership stint, Senator Nash said the new PM had been well received since taking over late last year, including out in regional communities.

“People are responding very well to the positive message of a government that’s looking to the future with a vision that says ‘it is an exciting time to be an Australian’,” she said.

“It’s an exciting time to be a regional Australian and people are responding very well to that positive attitude and ‘can do’ attitude and wanting to build a better nation and particularly to build stronger rural and regional communities.”

Senator Nash said, having entered the federal Senate in 2005 at the same time as Mr Joyce, the two Nationals had a good working relationship and shared “the same goals and aspirations for our rural and regional communities”.

She said Mr Joyce had shown signs of an improved working relationship with Mr Turnbull through the cabinet process recently, while she’s worked with the Liberal leader closely on rolling out the national strategy, to tackle the drug ice.

The new Coalition agreement between Mr Joyce and Mr Turnbull was signed following the change of National Party leaders last week and is understood to contain no significant changes.