The verdict Mr Joyce is ill-informed.
Tag: Barnaby Joyce
Provocation for domestic politics “it has to be Barnaby Joyce”
A delegation of MPs visiting Taiwan are “casting a shadow” on Australia’s improving relationship with China.
Source: China warns Australia ‘playing with fire’ as MPs visit Taiwan
For years, he has been doling out money hand over fist, often to people with connections to the Liberal or National parties, for water rights or dubious dams.
There was the Politics in the Pub night in Shepparton where Joyce promised irrigators more water from the Murray-Darling.
“We have taken water, put it back into agriculture, so we could look after you and make sure we don’t have the greenies running the show.”
He dismissed a Four Corners program about water theft as “them trying to take more water off you, trying to create a calamity.”
Never mind about fish kills and dried up rivers and towns with no drinking water.
Then there was ‘Watergate’ where Barnaby paid $80 million to a company with connections to Angus Taylor for worthless overland water flows.
Urannah dam is a whole other can of worms with hundreds of millions being funnelled to a company run by people with links to the LNP for a project facing serious questions about its economic benefit.
Likewise the Dungowan dam proposed for Barnaby’s own electorate, where he said he has “no real interest” in seeing the business case because “we’re not asking for a return”.
In March, Joyce promised $5.4 billion to build the Hells Gate dam on the Burdekin River despite there being no business case and no assessment of the environmental impacts yet.
Barnaby’s baby, the Inland Rail, also deserves scrutiny.
Source: Barnaby sounds worried – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Sky News is prompting that the Liberals need to move even further right than the nationals to create an identity distinct from Labor. That alone tells us their only attention is to themselves and not the nation or the common good. Some among them even seem to regard Neo Nazis as too left-wing. We’ve seen how Angus Taylor knows how to strike water deals with Barnaby, haven’t we? It’s all in-house and with taxpayer money.
Project backed by the National party is expected to top $162,000 per megalitre if cost recovery is pursued
Source: Barnaby Joyce’s dam water set to cost 100 times more than market rates | Water | The Guardian
There are so many things that come to mind with that headline – like when Barnaby Joyce wrote off an $80,000 government Toyota LandCruiser wagon by driving it into a flooded creek on the way to his northern NSW grazing property. Or when he had unprotected extramarital sex with a staffer and got her pregnant. Or when he turned up drunk at work. Those are the sort of personal lapses of judgement you worry about with teenage kids.
Source: Barnaby Joyce is an idiot – » The Australian Independent Media Network
My thought for the day On the NBN: The problem with designing a network to meet the needs of yesterday is that it denies you the ability to meet the needs of tomorrow. ( John Lord )
IF YOU WERE in any doubt as to the ability of COVID-19 to shine a spotlight on societal inequality, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce’s declaration on Monday morning that “people aren’t dying” of the virus should convince you. In an interview with the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas, Barnaby had to be reminded that people are indeed dying in Australia from COVID-19 after categorically stating they are not, as he attempted to compare his government’s alleged success at handling the virus with that of other countries. It’s grimly significant that the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia can’t be bothered to inform himself of the effects the pandemic is having on citizens, particularly when they are dying in record numbers. Only the privileged are fortunate enough to “forget” or “overlook” or simply not notice that people are dying from an illness elites consider “mild”.
Source: Barnaby acts as epidemiologist and coroner as Coalition ignores COVID deaths
When Barnaby Joyce regained the leadership of the Nationals in June last year, no-one could have been happier than his dear friend and supporter, Gina Rinehart. She immediately offered to host a party for him. Those VIPs lucky enough to secure an invitation to spend an evening with Barnaby and Gina at her palatial coastal hideaway in Noosa could secure their spot for a mere $10,000 a head. At a fundraiser for Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien shortly after their soiree, Barnaby sang Gina’s praises, which Ms Rinehart has graciously shared with us on her website. Mr Joyce spoke of the LNP’s belief in the importance of the individual to be master of their own game as opposed to being controlled by the state. He praised the efforts of his long-time “mate”, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, who attended the event. “Gina is one of the most powerful women in the world,” he said. “If we had more Gina’s we’d have a more powerful nation,” he said.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Joyce’s reasoning, while jejune on the historical contributions of WikiLeaks, has the merit of unusual clarity. He argues that the UK “should try him there for any crime he is alleged to have committed on British soil or send him back to Australia, where he is a citizen.” Assange never pilfered any US secret files; did not breach Australian laws and was not in the US when “the event being deliberated in the court now in London occurred.” To extradite him to the US would not only be unjust but bizarre. “If he insulted the Koran, would he be extradited to Saudi Arabia?”
Source: Voices of Concern: Aussies for Assange’s Return – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Barnaby Joyce speaks out when the PM doesn’t and he speaks out clearly when he says Julian Assange is being extradited to a country for a crime he didn’t even commit in that country. Meanwhile Scott Morrison stays silent, setting the bar showing what every Australian citizen can expect from this Prime Minister…NOTHING
Mr Joyce says Mr Assange didn’t steal secret US files but only published them, which did not breach any Australian laws at the time, and he was not in the US when leaks were put online. “The question is then: Why is he to be extradited to the US? If he insulted the Koran, would he be extradited to Saudi Arabia? “If we are content that this process of extraditing one Australian to the US for breaking its laws even when he was not in that country is fair, are we prepared therefore to accept it as a precedent for applying to any other laws of any other nation to any of our citizens?” Mr Joyce’s opinion piece came a day after independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to pick up the phone to US President Joe Biden and British PM Boris Johnson to end the prosecution. Mr Wilkie, a former intelligence analyst, said the prosecution of Mr Assange had always been political and could be solved politically by Mr Morrison. Mr Assange faces 175 years in prison in the US.
Barnaby Joyce has dipped into a water infrastructure fund to grant $5 million to a company well-connected with Tasmania’s Liberal Party elite so they can build a 7km pipeline under Hobart’s Derwent River to water a newly planned, privately owned golf course, reports Callum Foote.
Source: Using water wisely, Barnaby? Or another dicey deal in the pipeline? – Michael West Media
While the National Party holds Australia’s future to ransom with climate demands, Scott Morrison’s future as Prime Minister looks increasingly dim, writes Andrew P Street. THERE ARE PLENTY of reasons to be cynical – indeed, deeply suspicious – about the secret deal that the National Party has presented to Prime Minister Scott Morrison as conditional on their begrudging and far-from-unanimous support for the very existence of an emissions target.
Source: Nationals ridiculous net zero deal doesn’t even matter
As Prime Minister Scott Morrison tries to land a Coalition climate policy deal ahead of the international COP26 summit in Glasgow, Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Sunday ruled out supporting more ambitious 2030 targets. The current 2030 target aims to cut emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels, and has been criticised by scientists and the international community as far too weak. But ahead of a Nationals party room meeting on Sunday to discuss changes to national climate policy, Joyce declared it “highly unlikely” he would support a doubling of the 2030 target, according to ABC reports.
As debate heats up in Australia about adopting a net-zero emissions target, Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and other key party figures have pointed to the UK energy crisis as a supposedly cautionary tale. On the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, Mr Joyce expressed reticence about the net-zero policy, and said he was “perplexed there’s not more discussion about what’s happening in the UK and Europe with energy prices”. He went on: A 250 per cent [price] increase since the start of the calendar year. A few days ago, 850,000 people losing their energy provider and a real concern over there about their capacity as they go into winter to keep themselves warm and even keep the food production processes going through. Mr Joyce was clearly seeking to link the UK energy crisis to its climate target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Pro-coal senator Matt Canavan this week echoed the sentiment: So are they right? To find out, The Conversation approached Aimee Ambrose, Professor of Energy Policy at leading UK policy research centre The Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, and an expert adviser to the International Energy Agency….
Source: No, Barnaby. The UK energy crisis has nothing to do with its net-zero target
So Iran, a country with which we were enjoying warming relations until Donald Trump poisoned them, is up there with China and Russia as a threat to Australia in the opinion of the National Security Committee. Barnaby Joyce reminded the media the ‘‘reason we have a National Security Committee is because it’s secret’’. Photo: AAP The possible insight is that such a perception betrays the entirely American-centric nature of our security and defence outlook. It underlines our client state status that Iran-Saudi and Iran-Israel tensions were a consideration in signing open cheques for nuclear-powered submarines. After our participation in the Iraq and Afghanistan debacles, the Morrison government apparently maintains an interest in Australian military involvement in the Middle East.
Source: Michael Pascoe: And now Iran is threatening us, claims Acting PM
You’ve got to hand it to the Deputy PM, he does a pretty good WC Fields with practically no theatrical training. Sure, parliament is theatre, but a NIDA admission would elude most of them. Talentless. Barnaby Joyce, on the other hand, makes it look easy, especially when he is channelling a movie star whose schtick is playing a drunk. Probably due to cultural cringe, the Australian media largely ignored Barnaby’s bravura performance in last Wednesday’s Question Time and left it to the UK’s Daily Mail to write a glowing revue:
Source: Barnaby Joyce wasn’t drunk, that was just an Oscar-worthy performance
So Labor, it’s up to you. Barnaby has told us that they don’t have a plan and this is a problem for Scott Morrison – who we’re told wants to achieve net zero emissions at the same time as vaccinating the population. Both are to happen, “as soon as possible” which is a pretty ambitious plan for most of us, but it seems pretty pedestrian for a man like him who believes in miracles. Couldn’t we have at least one of them happening before it’s possible instead of waiting for the possible? Otherwise, where’s the miracle? sigh< Maybe I should just congratulate Barnaby for achieving net zero in politics and conclude that maybe the planet knows what its doing and when the cockroaches take over, it might be an improvement.
Source: Barnaby Has Already Achieved Net Zero! – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Crikey readers have taken umbrage at Barnaby Joyce’s return, and they’re not well pleased with the Coalition’s rorting either.
Source: Your Say: Now Barnaby’s back it’s time the Libs ditched the Nats
In the end, the Joyce factor may end up multiplying Morrison’s challenges and highlighting even further his government’s corruption, ineptitude and inadequacy; its lies and, above all, its catastrophic failure to protect its people.
Source: A Turd in the Surf at Bondi – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Borrowing from Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Joyce will confuse personal interest with the public interest and believe his new ministers are best for the country. Deep down, they are not.
Every transaction tells Australians what to expect from the Nationals leader now he is restored to what he sees as his rightful place as Deputy Prime Minister. It should embarrass ministers who like to think they gain their positions on merit.
Source: Four words sum up the Joyce reshuffle and none benefit the country
However, Barnaby 2.0 also poses one of the great questions about the modern-day redemption of public figures: why are we more forgiving of our politicians when scandalous episodes – even if relatively trivial – can spell career and social death for others in the spotlight?
Source: Rehabilitation comes more easily to some than others in the public eye
Since Barnaby Joyce’s sensational return to the leadership of the National Party and consequently the Deputy Prime Ministership, much has been written about what this means for Scott Morrison and the Coalition Government he leads.
Barnaby’s back! To those of us who have witnessed leaders’ heads roll within the Coalition faster than their accusing fingers can point to “Labor, Labor Labor!”, it seems beyond farcical.
Barmy himself may well say “I’m no Albert Weinstein“, confusing the iconic genius with the Hollywood sexual predator and zimmer frame test pilot, thereby both proving the point and rekindling memories of his past proclivities. He’s declared that after three years in back-bench penury he’s a changed man who does not intend to rejoin his fellow Pepé Le Pew Club members Porter, Tudge and Lamming trawling Canberra’s nightspots looking for knee tremblers behind the coat racks. His new crusade is to fuck the country not his staff.
Source: The Nationals have re-tooled – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Farmers will gain a chance to be “repaid” for helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions in a proposal from the Nationals that opens the way for a deal on climate change under new leader Barnaby Joyce. Setting out the terms for a negotiation on an ambitious new climate target, Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud warned that farmers had carried the cost of previous targets and needed compensation for stronger action.
Source: Nationals plan to pay farmers to cut emissions in deal on net zero
Who’s Mining the Store Barnaby is
There are real fears in the Morrison government that junior Coalition party – the Nationals – will derail its carefully laid re-election plans.
Source: Barnaby Joyce restoration spells trouble for Scott Morrison
Barnaby Joyce proves that a long history of questionable conduct, pork barrelling, and obtuse dealings with nonexisting water is no obstacle to National Party leadership. Here are “six of the best” from our QED database – living, walking proof of the need for a Federal ICAC now. $5300 for Barnaby Joyce’s three NRL games
Source: Barnaby Joyce is back – questions about his conduct remain! – Michael West
New documents show the government negotiated the controversial $80m Watergate deal directly with the Cayman Islands company founded by Energy Minister Angus Taylor. The Department failed to notify the Senate. Jommy Tee investigates the email trail between the Department, then overseen by Barnaby Joyce, and secretive Switzerland director and Taylor associate Connor Maloney.
I will make one prediction; after this is published it will be promptly followed by the remnants of the traditional media in furious pursuit of my heresy. Questions will be asked by the fourth estate and high octane derision will issue forth from the climate change actionistas.
via The batshit crazy ramblings of Barnaby Joyce – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Three years is a long time in any democracy. Three years of callous disregard for the vulnerable, the ill and the homeless, for the voiceless First Peoples, for the disabled and the elderly, the unemployed and the underemployed, and those held in detention without trial — some of whom have already attempted suicide this week. Three years is also a long time to spruik religion to a secular society, spit in the face of science and ignore the havoc we are wreaking on our natural world.
Morrison has already wasted $185 million on a stunt purely to stop critically ill asylum seekers (including children) from receiving medical attention. Morrison voted against a banking royal commission 26 times. He believes coal is the answer to our problems. Morrison is a failed Treasurer, who managed to double our debt. And ScoMo campaigned with only one policy: tax cuts.
via The price of not paying attention: Five ministers we cannot afford
Barnaby Joyce’s outrageous behaviour on ABC Radio National has made a Coalition victory next month even more improbable.
BARNABY JOYCE is not an idiot. He is something far worse. He is a moderately intelligent man who falsely believes he is smarter than everyone else.
The world is full of these sort of men. It would be easy to dismiss them, except somehow these dolts seem frequently to find a way of weaseling themselves into positions of importance. And once there, their unfathomable self-confidence, combined with their manifest ineptitude, invariably causes chaos and calamity.
$80,million Spent like water (ODT)
Guardian Australia reported this week on the mystery surrounding the reason Joyce chose the companies he did for the buybacks. On Friday, Labor raised specific questions about one of the purchases, worth $80m.
On Saturday, Hanson-Young said she would write to the auditor general requesting an urgent audit.
“The auditor has a responsibility to investigate how $80m of taxpayers money was paid for water that doesn’t exist,” she said in a tweet.
It is extraordinary that the profit from Barnaby Joyce’s record payment for Australian water rights, an $80 million payment of taxpayers’ money, found its way to a company in the Cayman Islands which had been set up by Angus Taylor, a company at which Taylor had been a director for six years. Report by Michael West.
via Barnaby Joyce, Angus Taylor, Australia and the Caribbean – Michael West
A phone tower that Barnaby Joyce fought for ended up on the northern NSW property of long-time friend and mining baron Gina Rinehart, who gets an annual fee to host the tower. Locals are baffled why the tower was put there over another location, as it’s plagued with reception problems.
via Gina Rinehart, Barnaby Joyce and the ‘epic fail’ phone tower
Murray-Darling gross mismanagement
While then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Barnaby Joyce was busy building up his “private” media brand enough to rival the Kardashians, under his watch, management of the Murray-Darling Basin was steadily careering out of control.
Perhaps the most damning part of this whole stinking mess is best summed up with this one little detail concerning the chief beneficiary of Coalition Government water policy, Webster Limited:
‘Webster, a Tasmanian company, is also one of Australia’s biggest water traders. Its shareholders include Australian Food and Fibre, which is controlled by the Robinson family, a major donor to the National Party.’
via EDITORIAL: Something stinks in the Coalition and it’s not just dead fish
When Barnaby says he isn’t after the leadership we believe him because politicians on this side always tell the truth about these things
The Nationals show what happens when you investigate yourself you throw the woman out with the dirty water. Muslims also require a male witness in the case of rape. It’s not in the Koran but it too is justice created by men. Is Germaine Greer right? Nobody seems to believe that Wake in Fright was a Documentary. (ODT)
The Nationals have been unable to make a finding on the claim by a woman that former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce sexually harassed her.
Catherine Marriott, former West Australian Rural Woman of the Year, made the allegation at the height of the controversy over Joyce’s affair with his former staffer (and now partner), Vikki Campion. He claimed at the time it was the tipping point that led him to quit the Nationals’ leadership, although he has said subsequently when Campion became pregnant, he always knew he would have to go.
Marriott, who made the complaint in confidence, was highly upset when her name was quickly leaked.
She said in a Friday statement expressing her frustration at the inconclusive result of the eight months investigation that “this outcome simply isn’t good enough”.
She had been told by email on Thursday that the NSW National Party “has been unable to make a determination … due to insufficient evidence”.
“This is despite the investigation finding I was ‘forthright, believable, open and genuinely upset’ by the incident.
“The result of this investigation has underpinned what is wrong with the process and the absolute dire need for change”, she said.
Joyce on Friday had no comment beyond standing by what he had said initially, when he described the accusation as “spurious and defamatory”.
via No finding by Nationals in Barnaby Joyce sexual harassment case
olddogthoughts 