Barnaby Joyce Went On ‘The Weekly’, Seemed To Regret It Almost Immediately
He looked like he'd rather be literally anywhere else.
Barnaby Joyce stopped by The Weekly on Wednesday night, and boy oh boy did he look happy to be there.
The former Deputy PM appeared on the program to spruik his new book, which he insists is about policy and people living in rural Australia, and is definitely not about that time he completely fucked his life up.
“The book is not a memoir about me, it’s a memoir about trying to look after people in regional areas who are doing it tough,” Joyce told host Charlie Pickering. “They’re poor, in many instances they’re white, and their opportunities are not like yours. We’ve got to come up with policies that take them ahead.”
But if Joyce thought he could deflect that easily, he had another thing coming.
“You’ve dedicated this book to your beloved daughters,” remarked Pickering. “Are your daughters embarrassed by you?”
“I love my daughters dearly, and I love my son,” replied Joyce. “I think what we’ve got to do is make sure we’ve got a nation where their opportunities if they live in a regional town are as good as your opportunities where you are.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” said Pickering. “I would love for you to dedicate a book to me as well.”
Asked whether he thought Malcolm Turnbull would be happy to see him on a book tour so soon after being embroiled in a major scandal, Joyce pointed out that plenty of other politicians have written memoirs.
“Other politicians have published books, but you’ve had an unorthodox run-up to the publishing of that book, I think you’d agree,” said Pickering.
“Well I suppose a life in the public gaze is always a bit unorthodox,” replied Joyce.
“Yeah, but you came over the wicket,” Pickering shot back.
You can watch Joyce’s full interview on The Weekly below.