CANBERRA (Boscutti Report) — The fractured relationship between the Coalition leaders has lurched into a full-blown political crisis with Deputy Prime Minister and National Party Leader Barnaby Joyce labelling Prime Minister’s comments ‘hurtful’ and ‘inconsiderate’, while declaring he has no plans to step down.
A defiant Joyce took aim at Mr Turnbull’s character assessment of him from the day before, accusing Turnbull of bringing further damage to the government, and inviting further media scrutiny.
He also openly defied Mr Turnbull’s coded request he step down from the leadership of the National Party, telling the Liberal leader to stay out of his party’s business.
‘If you see Tony, you can tell him to fuck off,’ he said.
A spokesman said it was time to move on from Mr Joyce’s love affair and offered several diversions including tax cuts, building infrastructure, job security, and tax cuts.