Mr Joyce said the promotion was an awesome responsibility.

"This responsibility is not taken lightly, this responsibility is taken with all the respect that it deserves,” he said.

“My first priority will be to assert the Nationals' rights as a Coalition partner but we aren't foolish, we know we're not that far away from an election and our focus is clearly on making sure that the Australian people get a clear juxtaposition between an effective Coalition and the Labour party.

We always look for the proper balance we have clearly laid out the primacy of prime agricultural land, water resources – but not doing what the Greens want which is the exclusion of mining or anything to do with that, we will be stone motherless broke if we closed down the mining industry.”

Mr Joyce said that as Nationals leader he is aware that prime agricultural land is important to Australia.

“We must be wary in prime agricultural land that we protect their rights and understand the incredible value that that land has for our nation, not just for next year or the year after but for 10,000 years in the future,” he said.

However, New England Greens candidate Mercurius Goldstein said that Joyce's self-chosen title as a 'champion' of regional Australia must be earned.

"Greens have long advocated a range of policies that will benefit New England, and the whole of rural Australia and Mr Joyce could consider these items his to-do list, to become a true regional champion,” he said.

“Mr Joyce should switch our regions on to the jobs, investment and growth in renewable energy, deliver educational fairness in country schools by continuing the Gonski fair funding model and provide hope and employment access to all who need it by restoring TAFE in our rural towns and cities.

“He should also improve rural business opportunities and quality of life by building the world-class NBN as originally proposed, so if the Nationals under Mr Joyce's leadership can't or won't take on this regional Australia to-do list, the Greens stand ready to lend to hand.”