SYDNEY, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Michael McCormack was on Monday elected Australia's new deputy prime minister after being selected as the leader of the country's National Party, the junior partner in the country's coalition government.
McCormack replaces former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce who was forced to resign last week amid public anger over an extramarital affair with his former press secretary with whom he is now expecting a child.
The leader of the National Party automatically becomes deputy prime minister under the terms of the coalition agreement with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal party.