This revision of history seems to rear its ugly head from time to time.Gillard must have been a great negotiator to get legislation through.
The biggest failing of the Turnbull government has been the PM's inability to unite the party after taking the leadership from Tony Abbott and the that division is only getting worse.
I think the real problem is a small group who stick to a staunch Conservative line rather than feeling the nation's pulse, and of course the reliance on political donations from corporations that enslaves their policy.
"A spokesperson has said he will decline the money". So fair's fair
"A spokesperson has said he will decline the money". So fair's fair
All he has to do now is ask for a cheque from Rupert Murdoch so he can decline that too
Barnaby Joyce has handed back a $40,000 award from billionaire supporter Gina Rinehart, after an embarrassing backlash from political opponents and the farming industry.
Key points:
The mining and cattle baron bestowed the lucrative prize on Mr Joyce at a glitzy agriculture event put on by her company Hancock Prospecting at the Australian War Memorial last night.
- Barnaby Joyce was handed a cheque for $40,000 at the AWM last night
- Now he says he'll hand it back
- Labor wants the PM, who is acting as Agriculture Minister while Mr Joyce contests a by-election, to answer questions
With less than two weeks until the former agriculture minister faces a by-election in his seat of New England, Mr Joyce skipped a local candidates forum in the electorate and travelled to Canberra for the festivities.
Mrs Rinehart personally handed him the inaugural National Agricultural and Related Industries prize, calling him a "champion of farming."
Mr Joyce initially accepted the giant novelty cheque, saying he intended to spend the money on his property.
"All I'm thinking about now is things I'm going to do on my own farm to be quite frank," he told the audience.
But after being roundly criticised by his opponents, including Labor, who labelled the award "smelly", Mr Joyce's office has released a statement saying he would "politely decline" the award.
The award polarised many in the room, with reactions among the hundreds of guests varying from approval to vehement opposition.
Mrs Rinehart has been building considerable influence in the farming sector. Last year, she partnered with a Chinese consortium to purchase the S. Kidman and Co cattle empire.
She has previously been a generous donor to Mr Joyce's career, famously attending his election night party in 2013 and contributing $50,000 to that campaign.
Then these aren't people with any understanding of the party base.
The banks have written to the government requesting an enquiry into the banking system to settle concerns about the industry, ABC TV reports.
Interesting to see what follows. It's a slap in eye for Turnbull's obstinate refusals to do anything in this area.
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