The Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, posted a video of himself feeding cattle on Tuesday evening in which, among other things, he complains about feeling "sick of the government in my life".
In the 48-second clip, the former Nationals leader and former Deputy Prime Minister appeared to ramble about the changing climate and, on the same topic, suggest that Australians were "fools" who would "get nailed" if they did not acknowledge the influence what he called a "higher authority", "beyond our comprehension".
Merry Christmas pic.twitter.com/QGYPv51pTN
— Barnaby Joyce (@Barnaby_Joyce) 24 December 2019
"You don't have to convince me that the climate's not changing, it is changing, and my problem's always been whether you believe a new tax is going to change it back," Mr Joyce said.
"I just don't want the government any more in my life, I'm sick of the government in my life.
"And the other thing we've got to acknowledge is there's a higher authority that's beyond our comprehension - right up there in the sky - and unless we understand that it's got to be respected, then we're just fools, we're going to get nailed."
Labor frontbencher and Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon told the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday that he thought the video showed Mr Joyce felt "contrite" over his government's inaction on climate change.
"Barnaby says he wants government out of his life but he is the Government, and has been for seven years," Mr Fitzgibbon said. "Not even the guy upstairs can change how history will record his populist recklessness".
"For many, Christmas Eve is a time of reflection and regret and this is Barnaby Joyce feeling contrite about seven years of reckless inaction."
The federal government has faced criticism and pressure in 2019 over its handling of climate policy, particularly amid ongoing bushfires across much of NSW, including in the Hunter.
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