When Warren Truss was approaching retirement, there was a significant push in the National Party for “anyone but Barnaby” to take up the reins of leadership.
Mr Joyce has been accused by those within the Nationals of being a “grandstander”, of needing complex information in a small number of dot points and not putting in enough hard work. Others love him as a “retail politician” – able to cut through with one-liners and understand what people really think.
This “retail politician” seems to decide what he will support based on what the guys in the front bar at the local pub want, what Gina wants, and, belatedly, what might win him votes in his local electorate.
From the time he parachuted himself into the seat of New England, he has embarked on a shameless parade of self-promotion, taking credit for the achievements of Tony Windsor and the Labor government whilst engaging in blatant pork-barrelling regardless of cost or efficiency.
Barnaby decided he wanted to move the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to Armidale. A subsequent cost-benefit analysis commissioned by the government and conducted by Ernst and Young cost $272,000 and found there were no material economic advantages to support the relocation which will cost $25.6 million.
The report warned the APVMA may be unable to relocate, recruit and replace key technical staff and management, and could lose access to stakeholders. It warned chemical companies may leave the Australian market and lose up to $2.37 million in revenue due to short-term productivity damages.
But what Barnaby wants, Barnaby gets, and we now find ourselves in the position where the business model prepared by consultants for the agency has said they will be forced to look outside Australia to fill permanent jobs. The pesticides authority will also have to outsource more of its work to external scientists for the relocation to succeed, the Pegasus report said.
Joyce also insisted that the responsibility for water be taken from the environment portfolio and given to him.
“We’ve taken water and put it back into agriculture so we can look after you and make sure we don’t have the greenies running the show basically sending you out the back door. That was a hard ask but we did it,” Barnaby told farmers at a Shepparton pub (where else).
When Four Corners exposed the theft of water by farmers and big conglomerates, Barnaby said it was the states’ problem, which is true to a degree, but one could reasonably expect the federal minister to investigate the implementation of federal legislation. No doubt the Four Corners program was too long to maintain his attention and the evidence they handed over too long to read.
We are told that it is the Prime Minster’s decision as to who shall be given cabinet roles but the recent reshuffle shows, once again, it is Barnaby largely dictating those decisions.
Darren Chester had been doing a good job in Infrastructure – well as good as his party will allow him to do. I don’t remember him posing for photo shoots or blaming Labor for stuff. He spoke reasonably and honestly when I heard him interviewed and projects were actually moving ahead.
But Barnaby wants to be the man to ‘deliver’ inland rail that will bring ‘prosperity’ to his constituents, to the farmers, to the owners of property and towns along the route like Gwabegar. So Mr Chester was kicked out after he had done much of the hard work towards advancing the project.
Plus Darren voted yes for marriage equality and against Barnaby’s pick for deputy leader, Matt Canavan, a previous KPMG and Productivity Commission employee who cold-called Barnaby asking for a job, got it as chief-of-staff in 2010, became a Senator in 2014, and is now Barnaby’s loyal foot soldier.
Barnaby’s sugar mummy Gina wants dams so expect the newly appointed Minister for Infrastructure to resurrect his 100 dams paper that caused such derision when it was released in 2013.
In March 2014, Barnaby announced a Ministerial working group to accelerate progress on dams.
“The Agriculture Minister will oversee the group, which includes Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, Environment Minister Greg Hunt, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment, Senator Simon Birmingham.
The working group will consult with state and territory governments to understand their priorities and how they can best work together.”
Looks like it will be just up to Barnaby to “get ‘er done” now despite all the experts and previous reports saying new dams are economically unviable and environmentally unsound. Barnaby got told by Gina’s ANDEV and the IPA that it was a good idea so that’s all he needs to hear.
And whilst I hesitate to comment on someone’s private life, his moralising comments about ‘family values’ and marriage equality when he said that the “best protection” his daughters could have was a “secure relationship with a loving husband” seem so sad right now.
When Australia is in need of real leadership based on evidence and with the best interests of the nation in mind, we are lumbered with this selfish, puffed-up, beer-swilling buffoon and a Prime Minister willing to do his bidding in order to keep his own job.
Someone should remind Malcolm that, in the lower house, the Liberals (plus LNPers who identify as Liberal) hold 60 seats compared to 16 Nationals members, and in the upper house, the Libs have 26 Senators compared to 4 from the Nats.
If Barnaby walked away from the Coalition, he would be walking into oblivion, so stop pandering to the beetroot bully. His threats mean nothing. Stand up and be a leader and do what you know must be done, starting with urgent action on climate change. And no, Snowy Hydro 2.0 doesn’t get you off the hook. We need action yesterday!
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Research into Joyce’s purchase of marginal land that now appears to be slated as an option for the high speed rail route. To ensure this, an ex-Joyce senior staffer has been appointed to a senior position on the High Speed rail proposal.
From running multiple offices and being one of the highest personal spenders of public money, Joyce is feathering his nest at everyone else’s expense.
Nationals walking away from LNP is not just the numers of sears or senetors. Barnie also knows a thing or two about the Liberal that Malcolm does not want Australia’s to know. Barnie will bring down the government if he does not get his way even if he destroys the Nationals in the process.
So depressing.
Unfortunately ME, it isn’t high speed rail they are proposing, just freight rail which will do little to revitalise the country towns that the freight trains barrel on through. Perhaps land close to the rail might be worth a bit more but hard to see it doing much to bring people to town after construction is done.
HSR would allow people to move to country towns and free up current air, rail and road routes. But if we can’t do the NBN properly, HSR is probably beyond us.
If he succeeds in bringing down the Coalition, he would be doing the nation a favour.
Re:
Seems like you don’t like Barnaby – KL. LOL.
Recently we toured Sri Lanka along with a couple who were, and are, significant figures in rural politics, broadly defined. Nats to the core. Leadership roles in AgForce et al – the whole box and dice. Impressive academic qualifications – about as high as you can go without reaching the professorial level of another fellow traveller. Yet they (effectively) wouldn’t hear a bad word about Barnaby.
Pointing out his ‘idiocy’ was met with – but he’s so … and he’s also so … Take your pick.
That’s why he’s such a good politician. And it defies rational explanation. Remember Joh? Perhaps ‘rationality’ and politics aren’t connected? Should I mention thet Barnaby is a good line-dancer.
Thanks again Kaye . HSR was reported by BZE ( Beyond Zero Emissions) with a fully developed proposal which is worth studying. If we had leadership in this country it would already be nearing completion. Abbott killed it. Google ‘BZE’.
Look forward to seeing whether the dumped Nat, forget his name, is angry enough to go to the cross benches. That would put pressure on both Barnaby and Talcum. Interesting times ahead with the duals issue still to play out. MN, re your travelling companions, they sound like those who troll sites like this, won’t hear a bad word about the Libs which is one of the reasons polls show Libs doing so well (relatively) when they should be in the 30’s or lower. MSM of course. Happy New Year
Fact is Barnaby delivers for his constituents. And we all want our reps to deliver – don’t we?
(BTW Ricardo29, there are a number of angry Nats and for a whole range of reasons.)
While politics is about the numbers it’s also important to remember where those voters are located. Barnaby knows that. He knows how Australian democracy works.
And he also knows that the Australian voters accept that. (Dumb bastards – aren’t they!)
Clearly it’s not about the popular vote.
I am in Barney’s electorate. Please tell me what he has “delivered” to our electorate.
During the New England election Barnaby was lauded as a great Agricultural Minister but as soon as he was re-elected he couldn’t wait to dump that portfolio in favour of infrastructure.
When Joyce announced the forced move from Canberra to Armidale, of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, a blatant piece of pork-barrelling, resulted in resignations of at least 50 of its 200 staff – including the then chief executive, Kareena Arthy – causing, among other things, a major slowdown in the agency’s rate of product approvals.
Then there was the infamous Indian wedding study Tour. After a private jet flew Joyce to Malaysia, Mr Joyce claimed a $5500 flight home for him and his wife from Kuala Lumpur.
The day of the flight, Mr Joyce met Malaysian officials at noon and at 3pm before flying home at 10pm.
Joyce said of his study tour
For a small town accountant, it hasn’t taken Barnaby long to manipulate the system.
“Seems like you don’t like Barnaby”
My disgust began when Joyce admitted that millions of dollars in funding, earmarked for vital projects in the New England electorate, including the Armidale Hospital, was cancelled by Abbott’s office after Tony Windsor decided to not contest his seat again at the 2013 election.
The last straw was when the beetroot bully threatened the young female Labour leader of NZ when she reiterated the offer to take 150 refugees to help us out. “I think it’s best if you stay away from another country’s business. Otherwise they’ll return the favour at a time they think is most opportune for them.” I note he didn’t threaten John Keyes when he made the same offer.
Ricardo, the dumped Qld member is Keith Pitt who also voted against Canavan for deputy. His sacking underlines the lie that Qld deserved more representation. It was all about payback by Barnaby.
We all know that Baraaaaby is a bloody drongo, but look who elected him to the leadership, a tiny party representing 3% of Australians, normal politics is a cut throat business full of dirty tricks, but 8 or 9 dull graziers in a room, and that’s what you get, a Barnaaaaby!
In days of yore, Sandy McCutcheon presented Australia Talks Back on Radio National @ 5.00 PM (from memory). One contributor was a Barnaby from St George but there was never a hint that he was connected politically. His cover was eventually blown when he won Senate endorsement and was in the news.
I clearly remember him saying that he was only interested in one Term. We now know that he is a teller of untruths. Now he is the professional politician and with the Infrastructure Portfolio his wildest dreams are realised. Now in a position to make some serious money. And his supporters will love him for it.
Re Pitt – As I understand it, he also took Barnaby to task for his extra marital dalliances. Accordingly, he had to go. Can’t have a conscience on the team as an ongoing reminder. But Pitt may have his revenge – he is LNP. There’s another Party Room he might attend.
Barnaby is the next best thing to Joh Bjelke-Petersen
If we were able to concoct an anti-corruption tincture, Barnaby would likely drink it without coercion and cure us of himself – what a lovely outcome that would be
Being an alcoholic helps with the lying.
No one would vote for Les Patterson, would they?
Of course we would.
B.Hump is a Liberal and he was modeled on Sir John Kerr.
Having a slight touch of pedanticitis, Zoltan?
Sir John is no more. Barnie is alive and grotesque as he is, manages to get away with vile, self-serving and nauseating behaviour.
Nor do I care if Barry Humphries votes for the Lizard people of from the constellation of Draco.
Parallels are drawn where parallels exist.
Powerful and timely, Kaye Lee. I am mystified as to why so many are duped by Barnaby’s affable bucolic clown routine. He’s a ruthless, calculating, hard-nosed pragmatist whose only focus is on pursuing his own ambition. As much of a con-artist in his own way as our esteemed Prime Minister, the human chameleon, or Zelig of Australian politics. Incredible, moreover that Barnaby can boss Malcolm around so effectively. Just what sort of a hold does he have over Malco? Amazed also that the Coalition agreement can be kept secret. Joyce’s disgraceful, misogynist bullying of Jacinda Ardern is close to blackmail and reveals a very ugly side to his character.
Barnaby Joyce needs to take heed of the many mutterings of discontent amongst his fellow Nationals and resign now before he is boned. He has absolutely nothing useful to contribute.
But David, the people (in his electorate) like him, they identifying with him, they reject Tony Windsor.
that it is the sad reality and we cannot lose focus.
Never loose sight of the fact that the LNP got a second go even after the gross mismanagement of the Abbott team which is almost intact to this day.
Yes the second go was a near thing but it still means that there is a hell of a lot of LNP supporters, will they do it again – Dog I hope not.
S G B