Barnaby Joyce to run the United Nations?
Despite having to mop up another of the deputy prime minister's verbal blunders, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop doesn't think it's such a scary proposition.
Nine Network breakfast host Karl Stefanovic made the suggestion on Friday.
"Perhaps that is something that Barnaby can consider after he's finished as deputy prime minister," Ms Bishop replied.
And the important question of whether he would have her support?
"Of course," she said.
Ms Bishop spent Thursday reassuring Jakarta and putting in context what Mr Joyce said when he linked Labor's suspension of live cattle experts in 2011 with an apparent spike in asylum-seeker boat arrivals from Indonesia.
What he really meant was that it was difficult to discuss the issue of asylum seekers with your neighbour when you'd just slapped a trade ban on them.
Jakarta had accepted that clarification, Ms Bishop said and everyone should now "move on".
"The Australian government does not believe there is any link between the Indonesian government and the people-smuggling trade," she said, repeating the line Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used the day before.
But like her leader, Ms Bishop noted the "absolutely valid" point about the devastation the suspension of exports caused.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese criticised Mr Joyce, saying his latest controversial comments show what a risk it is to have such an "erratic maverick" as deputy prime minister.
"He should stick to worrying about (Johnny Depp's dogs) Pistol and Boo. That's been the highlight of his career, picking on little puppies," he said.
Share
