Barnaby Joyce has defended the Coalition’s agricultural white paper against charges that it is full of “crackpot ideas”, saying the delay in releasing the policy document was due to its formidable content.
The white paper was due within the first 12 months of the Abbott government’s term in office, the deadline for which would have been September 2014. Labor’s agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says it proves the Coalition has no agriculture policy.
Asked this morning about the delay and the charge that it contained “crack pot ideas”, Joyce said it was a “shame” anyone would say such a thing.
“When someone says it’s a crackpot ideas, they’re calling the Australian people crackpots,” Joyce said.
“I don’t think that’s a way to get yourself votes. I think that when the Australian people submit their ideas you treat them with the respect and you go into bat for them and that’s exactly what I intended to do and that’s what I’m still doing.
“I’m not going to be the sort of lord on high that lives with, you know, the vestal virgins down in Canberra and deems to be through everything that’s submitted to them, what’s correct and what’s not correct.”
Joyce said he would treat every idea with respect and would ensure the White Paper was a “substantial document”.
“We’ve got to make sure this is formidable. I could have got a plan out ages ago if I wanted to say nothing and if we just wanted a motherhood statement.”
Joyce said he had already begun working on country of origin labelling and dams while the Coalition had already signed three trade agreements with Korea, China and Japan.
The agriculture department recently lost its secretary Paul Grimes after a breakdown in his relationship between Joyce.
In a statement Joyce said Grimes was “standing down as secretary” after a report from the secretary of the department of prime minister and cabinet, Michael Thawley – with which Grimes had agreed – “that a relationship of strong mutual confidence between the secretary and myself was not a realistic prospect”.
Fitzgibbon has been calling for the white paper regularly since it was due last year.
“I have been concerned that all we have seen from Barnaby Joyce is excuse after excuse for the delay,” said Fitzgibbon.
“This week it seems he isn’t even bothering with that.”
