ERROL PARKER |Editor-at-large | Contact
FOR THE FIRST TIME since 2010, Queensland’s Channel Country has flooded, news that was brought to the world via the Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce’s recent tweet, a photograph taken on the banks of the makeshift inland sea – just south of Windorah.
Widely considered to be some of the best cattle finishing land on Earth, the Channel Country is the bottleneck between inland Queensland’s river system and the Lake Eyre Basin. When it rains up top, it pours down below, the very same tagline Joyce used to describe the post.
Featuring his favourite cheeky Polka Dot Budgy Smugglers, the 48-year-old has taken a leaf out of the younger generations book by throwing up his own take on the “Hotdogs or Legs” photograph trend to twitter early this morning.
“Haha hotdogs or legs? More like chicken sausages or legs!” giggled Joyce. “Wearing long pants all year will do that to you. The only time my pants have come off in the last year was during Eagle Rock at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.”
In similar post to Instagram, the rosie-cheeked New England MP stated “I love the enormous vastness of these inland plains. Betoota, Windorah, Bedourie… Just stunning” – @BarnyDaRumPig69
Joyce’s visit to the Diamantina shire comes hot on the heels of former federal independent member, Tony Windsor, who also enjoyed a whirlwind whistle-stop jaunt of South-West Queensland. One that included a rather memorable night in Betoota.
Windsor allegedly told the “big Tamworth stagecoach” [Joyce] that he should visit the Channel Country in flood, because as the agriculture minister, it’s something he should see at least once in his life.
“Nothing finer than seeing a few hundred thousand acres underwater,” told Windsor to The Betoota Advocate this morning.
“I would say that there are better ways to see it than through Barney silversides and cut-lunch. No real need for the dick pick, Barnaby, but glad you liked it out there”
Predictably, former PM Tony Abbott has also lashed out at Mr Joyce for his “disturbing” photograph, saying that all “manscapers” are living in sin, while pointing the finger directly at his former minister.
“Just hang on a minute? Look at those pins. They’ve had more grass work done on them than the SCG,” said the Liberal backbencher.
Not one to take a tongue-lashing like that lying down, Joyce has told Abbott to “learn his place” and butt out.
“He’d better stick to Canberra and make merry with his ambush, for the bush will never suit him, and he’ll never suit the bush.”
“He’s acting like he’s never seen a pair of Budgy Smugglers before. Mate, you made the bloody things famous!”
“I think I’m looking pretty good for an old bushie like myself”
Bloody Hell! This reminds me of the time Bob Katter got his togs off and the surf mat out up when the Burdekin topped the spillway back in 2009. He did the 37 metre drop straight over the spillway like a champ. Why is it that National Party blokes like to get their gear off near muddy water?