On Friday morning, the New England MP was in Tamworth and told the Northern Daily Leader he would be a contender if the spill was called for the party's top job.

"If it was called open, of course I would stand," Mr Joyce said.

The Courier Mail reported Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Michael McCormack had lost the confidence of the majority of Nationals, who were asking the embattled leader to resign or face a spill on the eve of the election.

"I've maintained the same line; I have never asked one of my colleagues for a vote, I don't intend to," Mr Joyce said.

"I'm not driving the process. I've never challenged. The first time I heard about this [leadership challenge] was when I read about it in the paper."

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The Leader asked Mr Joyce if a leadership spill was called, would he voluntarily rule himself out for the sake of party unity.

"No I wouldn't," Mr Joyce responded.

The former deputy prime minister said if a leadership spill was called, he would not be the one to do it.

A number of Queensland National MPs are believed to be behind the push to oust Mr McCormack, believing their seats to be at risk with him at the helm.

The situation has been exacerbated by a recent interview Mr McCormack had with The Project. He was asked to name a single policy area where the Nations had sided with the interests of farmers over the interest of miners when they come into conflict.

"Not off the top of my head," Mr McCormack responded.

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