Anthony Albanese has called for Barnaby Joyce to be sacked after he used a violent election metaphor following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
The former deputy prime minister was speaking at a protest against wind turbines at Lake Illawarra, near Wollongong in New South Wales, on Sunday.
He urged locals to vote against the offshore wind turbines, comparing a ballot to a bullet and claiming their “greatest weapon” was to “turn up in large numbers.”
“The bullet you have is a little piece of paper. You put it in a magazine called the ballot box,” Mr. Joyce said.
“It’s coming. Get ready to load that magazine. Bye, Chris. Bye, Stephen. Bye, Albo.”
Mr Joyce referred to Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Deputy Finance Minister Stephen Jones and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
On Monday, the Nationals MP was confronted by Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr about his choice of metaphor in light of the attempted assassination in the US on July 13.
Trump was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on him.
On Monday morning, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce (pictured) was confronted with Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr’s choice of image, particularly in the wake of the shooting of US presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The former US president was grazed in the ear before being chased off the stage with blood on his face. Rallygoer Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed.
Mr Albanese demanded that Opposition Leader Peter Dutton take immediate action against Mr Joyce.
“That is completely unacceptable. Peter Dutton has had four reshuffles, he should have a fifth. Barnaby Joyce should go,” he told Sky News.
‘This is the kind of language that has no place in Australian society, let alone public life.
‘And here you have a man who goes to a rally and calls for action. Using an analogy of guns, bullets and magazines.
“What does this guy have to do to lose his job?”
Mr Joyce was criticised by Barr earlier that morning for his use of the metaphor.
“Barnaby, should we use ‘bullet’ in the run-up to an election?” asked the Sunrise presenter.
Mr. Joyce initially reacted defensively to his use of imagery.
“The ballot is the weapon you have. It shouldn’t be a bullet, it should be a ballot and the ballot box,” he replied.
He then went on a tirade comparing wind turbines to dog poop.
“It’s like saying the fertilizing power and the beauty of dog poop on your lawn in the middle of the morning also work,” he said.
“And so wind turbines are like dog poop in the ocean, dog poop in the environment — absolutely disgusting. Nobody wants them.”
But Barr continued to urge him to create violent images.
‘“But the language, the use of the word ‘bullet’ — there was an assassination attempt in the US — do you think that’s an appropriate use of that word?” she asked.
Mr Trump (pictured) was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on him
Mr Joyce, who appeared visibly frustrated, responded to criticism from NDIS Minister Bill Shorten, who also appeared on the program.
“Barnaby is clearly very passionate about wind turbines,” he said.
“But I think if he had his time again, he wouldn’t use the metaphor of bullets and magazines. There are enough words in the English language.
‘Barnaby, sometimes in politics we are the first to speak, because our passions get the better of us.
“The smartest thing I can do is apologize for using that metaphor. After all, we had the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.”
Mr Joyce eventually gave in to pressure and apologized.
“Here we go,” he said.
“I apologize for using that metaphor. I did it in Sunrise too.”
In 2018, Joyce was shot and sent a threatening letter by an environmental activist. He was later given a two-year suspended sentence and a $4,000 fine.
Mr Joyce said at the time of the incident that this was ‘the kind of nonsense we (as politicians) have to deal with’.
“This is not the kind of politics we want in Australia,” he added.