It followed the announcement by Warren Truss that he would be retiring from federal parliament at the next election and stepping down from the leadership.

Former party deputy Mr Joyce was elected unopposed last night, and Fiona Nash elected as deputy.

The issue of Mr Truss’s retirement and who would replace him has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, with several names thrown into the leadership ring.

Yesterday, the Queensland MP said that had been a pleasant change, given nobody had been keen to lead the party when he took it on in 2007 – “including me”.

“I am pleased to say that, now, things are different and everyone wants the job,” Mr Truss said in his farewell speech to parliament.

“We had lost the 2007 election, everybody was pretty dispirited and our numbers had declined. 

“Indeed, the media were saying, yet again, that the Nationals were finished. 

“Of course, we are used to that. 

“They have been saying that for over 80 years now, and we seem to have managed to survive most of our critics. 

“I am sure that the party will be in good and strong hands in the years ahead.” 

Mr Truss also thanked his two former deputies, Nigel Scullion and Mr Joyce, who he described as “both great people to work with”.

Mr Joyce first entered politics in 2004, when he was elected to represent Queensland in the upper house.

He became leader of The Nationals in the Senate in 2008, succeeding Mr Scullion, and made the switch to the House of Representatives in 2013 after being elected member for New England.

He was appointed agriculture minister by former prime minister Tony Abbott, a position he retained – and added to with water resources – when Malcom Turnbull took over the leadership of the Liberals late last year.

Mr Joyce described his election to the leadership as “an awesome responsibility”.

Senator Nash – the first woman to be elected to a senior leadership position in the Nationals – said she was humbled to have been chosen as deputy.