Stuart Robert MP's Robodebt legacy writs large on the ground of the Fadden By-election, such that glad-handing from Australia's "best retail politician", Barnaby Joyce, was required. Investigations editor Ross Jones reports.
BARNABY JOYCE seems a very sensitive man. Touchy even.
Not surprising — he’s had a tough couple of years, with new mouths to feed and the rug so recently rudely pulled from the gravy train.
But he’s a tough old nut and soldiering on is what you do.
A bit like Fermi’s Paradox – which asks, If there are aliens where the bloody hell are they? – the Fadden By-election has been very thin on the ground for Coalition MPs. Seems Opposition Leader Peter Dutton turned up once, but that’s about it.
Stuart "Robodebt" Robert daren’t show his face because of the public derision that would ensue, so Barnaby stepped up to the mark, glad-handing in support of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s favourite, Gold Coast Councillor and LNP candidate for Fadden, Cameron Caldwell.
There are few places more desperate than polling booths when the date closes in. Volunteers, many as mad as cut snakes, mill in search of action, thrusting leaflets at passers-by and waving at cars.
Into this fray barged Barnaby.
He and Cameron embarked on a minder-organised walk especially for TV only to be photo-bombed by a volunteer wearing a very minor party-logo-splashed sandwich board.
Well!
The volunteer reckoned Barnaby did his "going red" thing, then dropped his shoulder in a way the volunteer feared presaged violence. He reckons he has been around and has a developed sense for this kind of thing. Nothing happened, of course — it would have been all over the news. But Sandwich Board Man presented as a reliable witness, at least in this regard.
In a typical response, another volunteer told IA:
”Barnaby Joyce was there and while friendly when cameras or people were present, he was quite abrasive when not under scrutiny.”
She added:
“Mr Joyce used every opportunity for filming and PR runs but would insist on a conversation being re-filmed if any minor party was seen in the background. My perception was his annoyance at our very presence.”
It seems Barnaby is about as happy as he looks, but misery is a tough campaigning burden — a definite handicap when the LNP needs all the laughs it can get if Fadden is to fall in their favour.
Things have changed since the last time around.
There are still a lot of retirement franking credit votes in the wealthy areas, but voters aren’t as scared of the ALP as they once were and Robodebt has brought shame to the electorate.
Also, a lot of Gold Coast residents now use pot — check the recent growth in "medical" marijuana outlets.
If Legalise Cannabis gets a few votes, it could well upset the preferences apple cart.
Purely on the basis of "vibe", I reckon Labor.
Though I have been wrong before.
Ross Jones is IA investigations editor and the author of 'Ashbygate: The Plot to Destroy Australia's Speaker'. You can follow Ross on Twitter @rpzjones_fin.
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