BBC | Australia's former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has joined anti-immigration party One Nation, less than a fortnight after he quit the opposition Nationals, a party he once led.
Joyce confirmed his defection on Monday on his local radio station in Tamworth, 400km (250 miles) north of Sydney, ending months of speculation and saying it might "hurt" some people.
A well-known figure in local politics, Joyce has long been associated with the Nationals, which represents rural and regional communities, with several stints as leader.
Pauline Hanson, leader of One Nation - whose popularity has surged in recent polls - said the pair intend to "turn this country around to make it great again".
"I am pleased he's chosen One Nation, and I welcome his experience, his advice and his determination to get a fair go for farmers and regional Australia," Hanson, who founded the party in 1997, said.
Joyce, currently the member for New England in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), will represent One Nation in the lower house until the next federal election before running as a candidate for One Nation in the Senate, Hanson said.
In a Facebook post explaining his decision, Joyce criticised a range of policies, saying Australia has "eviscerated our energy platform on a ludicrous quest to change the weather".
He wrote that Australia's population growth via immigration had "removed the capacity for Australians to buy a home, have a family and increase our population by our own means".
On culture, he said: "A nation can have multiple faiths, race and colour but not multiple cultures. Australia must bind together under an Australian culture with a common goal to prevail in an increasingly uncertain world".
Nationals leader David Littleproud said he was disappointed by Joyce's decision to join what he called a "party of protest which is never able to achieve anything other than headlines", according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
The Nationals are the junior partner in a coalition with the conservative Liberals, with their alliance representing the federal opposition.
Exactly two weeks ago, Joyce had dinner with Hanson in her parliamentary office with the pair sharing a meal of steak and salad.
Hours earlier, Hanson had controversially walked into parliament wearing a burqa as part of her years-long campaign to ban the Muslim garment.
Her actions were condemned by fellow senators and later formally censured with one colleague accusing her of "blatant racism".