“Just found out”: Barnaby Joyce discovers he’s been sacked via TV
When one loses their job, it’s unlikely that they’ll find out through a journalist on TV, but that’s exactly how Barnaby Joyce discovered that he was no longer the drought special envoy.
He’s considered to be one of Australia’s most well-known politicians, but now that the new government has come into play, there was no space for Joyce, sparking a “Barnaby ban”.
Appearing on Sky News this morning, Joyce believes that he should have been told of the sacking from the Prime Minister himself.
“I would have (expected a phone call), but I didn’t and that’s life,” he said.
“Just found out from you guys then,” he tweeted to Sky News yesterday.
Just found out from you guys then
— Barnaby Joyce (@Barnaby_Joyce) 26 May 2019
“That is the role a leader has; they can make that call. But I think it is incumbent upon them to relay that to person to people, not to have them to find out via Twitter.
.@The_Nationals MP @Barnaby_Joyce says he wasn't told by @ScottMorrisonMP or @M_McCormackMP that he was dropped as drought envoy, instead finding out via a Sky News twitter post after the PM announced his new-look ministry.
MORE: https://t.co/KDxRjOdQJg #FirstEdition #auspol pic.twitter.com/11LA97yxJP— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) 26 May 2019
“Why it’s important is because you’ve got staff and you’ve got to ring people up. The first call I made when I did find out was to my staff and to say: ‘I’m really sorry about that, going to try and find you a job, you’re a good staff member, I’m sure there’s work out there, I’ll try and put a good word out there in the respected places’.”
But despite not having the formal title of drought envoy, Joyce says, “the drought has certainly not finished” and has made a promise to represent those who are affected the most: Struggling farmers.
Taking on the role will be David Littleproud, after Scott Morrison announced the new look cabinet over the weekend.