Culture

Morrissey Wrote Barnaby Joyce A Letter About Live-Exports And Made Fun Of His Red Face

Barnaby Joyce loves a celebrity feud.

by Sinead Stubbins  31 October 2016

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If you would have told me a couple of years ago that Barnaby Joyce would be the Australian politician mostly likely to be embroiled in a number of celebrity feuds, I would not have believed you. However, that seems to be where we are, so let’s just accept it and move on.

In late 2015, Barnaby Joyce and his Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources — a.k.a the sexiest and most glamorous ministry there is — beefed with Johnny Depp and his then-wife Amber Heard, after they illegally smuggled their dogs into Australia. Barnaby made them apologise. It was silly.

Now Barnaby Joyce has been challenged by yet another famous person, but for much less trivial sounding reasons. Today legendary musician Morrissey, who is currently touring Australia, sent Barnaby a letter admonishing the “horrific cruelty” of Australia’s live-export industry and targeting the MP specifically for “condemning millions of animals to this fate every year”.

Morrissey, who is famously vegan, pointed out Australia’s lack of an animal-welfare department and slipped in a “meat is murder” reference because, of course. The call to ban live cattle-exports picked up steam this year when in June the ABC aired graphic footage of Australian cattle being beaten to death with sledgehammers in a Vietnamese abattoir. At the time Barnaby Joyce said that negligent live cattle exporters could have their licences revoked, but has been silent on this issue since.

Morrissey’s letter is very reasonable and it is integral that we keep discussing the rights of cattle in Australia. But there is something about the fact that in the middle of this very serious prose he also made sure to mock Barnaby Joyce’s ruddy complexion, that is very thrilling.

“You can deny it until you are red(er) in the face, but the industry is dying,” he wrote.

UPDATE: Barnaby Joyce hits back and confuses everyone!