Why Barnaby Joyce is sticking the boot into Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest

Barnaby Joyce’s boots were made for talkin’ as he uses his footwear to let Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest know exactly how he feels about the billionaire businessman.

Outspoken Nationals MP and former deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce this week took a big step into the Aussie boot wars that are putting two of Australia’s richest people toe to toe.

Joyce ditched his traditional RM Williams and instead pulled on a pair of garish cowboy boots to wear to federal parliament.

He later told 2GB’s Ben Fordham that it was intended as a subtle dig at the green energy dreams of billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest who owns the iconic Australian brand.

“I don’t mind (Forrest) as a person but these wind farms are swindle factories,” Joyce said.

“They’re just killing us in the country.”

Barnaby Joyce during Question Time. Picture: Martin Ollman

Andrew Forrest bought RM Williams in 2020. Picture: Martin Ollman

He said he got the idea to ditch his RMs at Beef Week in Rockhampton, where billionaire Gina Rinehart’s right hand man Adam Giles was promoting her own iconic Rossi boot brand with Liberal leader Peter Dutton.

Rossi boots is a proudly Australian brand that now unfortunately uses workers in India and Indonesia to turn Australian leather into beautifully crafted boots.

Mr Joyce with his new cowboy boots (right) next to Banks MP David Coleman’s slightly less stylish moon boot. Picture: AAP Image

Forrest’s media spinners like to point out that his RM Williams brand still makes its boots in Adelaide and has hired an extra 150 craftsmen and women since he took control in 2020.

Where does that leave Joyce?

A check of the Ariat Cowpuncher boots he chose to make a point are mostly made in … Mexico and China.

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Originally published as Why Barnaby Joyce is sticking the boot into Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest