State results a timely reminder for federal Nats: Barnaby Joyce

While the "local guys" did very well - Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall both returning - the party didn't fare so well in other electorates.

There were large swings against the Nationals in Dubbo, Murray, Barwon and Orange.

Mr Joyce said Barwon going to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers was "one of the big shocks" of the election.

"Obviously that is very disappointing for us," he said.

"It means we'll have to take our medicine, find out where we went wrong with our message.

"We're not going to blame the voters or the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers. We've got to work out where we went wrong and fix it up."

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With the federal election just around the corner, Mr Joyce said, the result was a shot across the bow for the Nationals.

"It's a stark warning - we've got to take our medicine and respect every vote you can get," he said.

"There is no such thing as a safe seat. In some of these seats, we are seeing swings of more than 20 per cent.

"I've always warned people about a sense of distance from the weatherboard-and-iron [house] to the ballot box."

Mr Joyce urged his Nationals colleagues to ignore the political commentary and instead "listen to regional voters one-on-one".

"There will be people jumping and saying the reason we lost is because of this - don't listen to them," he said.

"Get into those areas and find out what the issues are that made them cast their vote. Work it out for yourself."

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