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Barnaby Joyce: “Gay Marriage could damage our Cattle Exports”

July 7, 2015
cowjoyce060715

A cow pictured on a farm in Surrey, England (left) and Barnaby Joyce (EPA/DANIEL HAMBURY)

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has issued a stark warning that the prospect of gay marriage could have a devastating effect on Australia’s cattle exports.

The colourful Nationals MP recently gained international notoriety when he threatened to destroy Johnny Depp’s pet puppies Pistol and Boo.

No stranger to controversy, Mr Joyce now finds his comments on marriage equality making international headlines.

“Where we live economically is south east Asia, that’s where our cattle go,” Mr Joyce told an intrigued Barrie Cassidy on the ABC’s Insiders program.

“When we go there, there are judgments whether you like it or not that are made about us. They see us as decadent.”

Barrie Cassidy replied: “Would they see us embracing gay marriage as decadence?”

“I think that in some instances they would, yeah,” Mr Joyce then answered.

The issue of gay marriage has returned to the political agenda in Australia after a Liberal MP revealed he would introduce a private member’s bill to legalise it when the country’s parliament resumes next month.

But Prime Minister Tony Abbott suggested the bill would be unlikely to reach voting stage.

“It’s quite unusual for private member’s bills to come on for debate and vote in the Parliament,” he said.

16 Comments leave one →
  1. Tom R permalink
    July 7, 2015 9:09 am

    Actually, in retrospect, it is quite obvious why yabot doesn’t want his minsters to appear in public

  2. TB Queensland permalink
    July 7, 2015 10:56 am

    Actually, in retrospect, it is quite obvious why yabot doesn’t want his minsters to appear in public

    Unusually slow of you, TR … The Mad Abbott isn’t the only one to stick his feet in his gob …

  3. Tom R permalink
    July 7, 2015 11:03 am

    Unusually slow of you, TR

    Late night 😉

  4. TB Queensland permalink
    July 9, 2015 4:56 pm

    Might even watch that, sreb … its usually as exciting as watching water evaporate …

  5. Tom of Melbourne permalink
    July 14, 2015 9:05 am

    Well, how right Barnaby was!!

    Indonesia has reduced cattle imports from 250,000 to 50,000! And that’s just on the expectation of parliament considering marriage equality.

  6. Tom R permalink
    July 14, 2015 9:11 am

    Indonesia has reduced cattle imports from 250,000 to 50,000!

    I thought it was Labors fault? 😯

    Of course, Triggs couldn’t have been right, could she 😉

  7. TB Queensland permalink
    July 14, 2015 10:27 am

    And that’s just on the expectation of parliament considering marriage equality.

    Link?

  8. Tom of Melbourne permalink
    July 14, 2015 10:29 am

    Everyone knows that the Indonesian government has stopped the importation of 200,000 live cattle because we are thinking about marriage equality.

    That’s just the beginning!

  9. Tom R permalink
    July 14, 2015 10:34 am

    That’s just the beginning!

    So, abbott consistently antagonizes the Indonesians. The Indonesians constantly warn that they will retaliate because of this antagonism. And when they do, it’s the Gays fault 😯

    You should Right satire yomm 😉

    Oh that’s right, you post here 🙂

  10. July 14, 2015 10:37 am

    “”That’s just the beginning!””

    I know!

    What the bloody halal is going on…???!!!!

  11. Walrus permalink
    July 14, 2015 10:41 am

    Actually I believe the Indos are trying to diversify and take more from Brazil and others. They have signalled that for a number of years now. Plus they are also developing a breeding program themselves.

    The relationship between the Indos and Oz is going to be crap no matter who is in Canberra as Australia bashing gets votes in Jakarta.

    We were just lucky to have some respite when Bambang was in power. Megawati was no friend of ours and she controls the current idiot.

    And dont for a moment think it will result in lower beef prices for us in the capital cities down South.

    We consume a different type of beast. We dont eat much Brahman. Our tastes are in Hereford and Angus beasties

  12. Neil of Sydney permalink
    July 14, 2015 11:52 am

    I thought it was Labors fault?

    Could be.

    If you were Indonesia and had your food supply cut off suddenly as Labor did by cutting off the cattle trade what would you do?? Become more self sufficient and perhaps purchase cattle from other countries is what most people would do.

  13. Tom R permalink
    July 14, 2015 12:06 pm

    what would you do?

    Stop mistreating cattle.

    Become more self sufficient

    This has been their desire for many years. They have not made a secret of it.

    IF this is the reason, then shouldn’t the minister involved have known about this, and warned the industry of upcoming shortfalls?

    Or did he, and just wanted to blame SSM?

  14. Neil of Sydney permalink
    July 14, 2015 2:07 pm

    This has been their desire for many years. They have not made a secret of it.

    And Labor helped speed it up. A slow gradual loss of market would be easier for farmers to adjust to than a sudden loss of the market.

    I wonder how many farmers were devastated by the ALP’s ban.

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