With a Liberal party room meeting set for midday on Friday, Australia looks certain to have a new Prime Minster.

Nationals member Mr Gee spoke to Fairfax Media about what he says is a “deep sense of disappointment and anger” over the situation.

“It’s a huge and disappointing distraction, especially when we’re going through the worst drought in living memory and it detracts from the important issues facing Australia,” he said.

“We’ve seen a lot of egos at play, we’ve seen fall-out from previous leadership contests at play, we’ve seen ancient grudges being aired and I think this has really been years in the making and it’s a ghastly spectacle.

“I think the savagery of it has appalled many people.”

Mr Gee said the ongoing talk of a leadership spill was very bad for the country.

“It’s bad for the country generally and I think that when parties engage in these factional power plays it’s very easy to lose sight of the fact that there is a wider national interest here,” he said.

“We have a national economy and it can be damaged easily with this uncertainty.”

Mr Gee said while Nationals members such as himself will not get a say on who the next Prime Minister should be, he said the party was very focused on what was best in the country’s interests.

“There’s an overwhelming feeling of disappointment and anger with respect to the shenanigans of our Coalition cousins, but we are now focused on how we can get the best outcome for country Australia,” he said.

“We’re actually going through the issues of what needs to happen after a new Liberal leader is elected and importantly we’re trying to sort out if we can form a coalition and if so what that coalition will look like.”

Mr Gee said the issues that are impacting country Australia will be raised with the incoming Liberal leader in discussions on whether a coalition can be formed.

“On top of my list is drought relief and I put that forward as the highest priority, but I’ve also been actively pushing for mobile phone blackspot funding and also better regional infrastructure.

“Before anyone rushes off to see the Governor General, they’re going to have to sit down and have a discussion with us.

“Nothing is certain at this point and we won’t be able to start those conversations until our Coalition cousins sort themselves out.”