Matt Canavan
Matt Canavan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Canavan in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the National Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 11 March 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Darren Chester | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | David Littleproud | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Senator for Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 1 July 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Ron Boswell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Matthew James Canavan 17 December 1980 Southport, Queensland, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | National (LNP) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Coalition | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Queensland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Economist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Personal website Party website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Matthew James Canavan (born 17 December 1980) is an Australian politician who has served as the leader of the National Party of Australia since 2026 and as a senator for Queensland since 2014. He previously held ministerial positions in the Turnbull and Morrison governments.
Canavan was raised in Brisbane's southern suburbs and holds arts and economics degrees from the University of Queensland. Prior to entering parliament he worked as economist for the Productivity Commission, as an executive at KPMG and as chief of staff to Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce. Canavan was elected to the Senate at the 2013 federal election, running on the Liberal National Party of Queensland ticket. He was appointed Minister for Northern Australia in February 2016 and was elevated to cabinet after the 2016 election as Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.
In July 2017, amid a wider parliamentary eligibility crisis, Canavan resigned from cabinet after discovering he might hold Italian citizenship by descent in violation of the constitution. He was reappointed to cabinet in October 2017 after the High Court ruled that he was not an Italian citizen.
In February 2020, Canavan resigned again from cabinet to support Joyce in his unsuccessful bid for National Party leadership. In May 2025, he unsuccessfully challenged new Nationals leader David Littleproud in a leadership ballot after the 2025 election. Following Littleproud's resignation as party leader in March 2026, Canavan was elected Leader of the Nationals.