Bush Summit 2021: Barnaby Joyce says reality is drought 'will come again’

Barnaby Joyce has declared he’d rather be in government fighting than a “hero in a coffee shop screaming complaints at nobody.”

The bush is booming but must prepare to face the reality that a drought “will come again” and embrace new export opportunities to reduce reliance on an increasingly volatile China.

Declaring he would rather be in government fighting for funding in the regions than a “hero in a coffee shop screaming complaints at nobody,” Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has said his return to the top job has been one of “humility” and “respect” for the government backbench.

Mr Joyce told The Daily Telegraph he was “more optimistic” about agriculture opportunities in the bush than ever before.

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce has urged farmers to ‘square things up’ after the recent good season. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We’ve had a good season … that’s allowed farmers to get crops in … build fences and pay off debts (from the drought),” he said.

“But farmers will need to square things up, get their (water) infrastructure right because as sure as God made little green apples, there will be another drought.

“Though hopefully not like the last one.”

With global demand for food rising, Mr Joyce said Australia was well-placed to deliver high quality protein and staple grains in Asia and beyond.

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Mr Joyce warned the one thing that could “destroy” the trade opportunities was market instability fuelled by an incident between China and Taiwan.

Since returning as Nationals leader in June, Mr Joyce said he was more motivated to deliver projects “close to my heart” from inland rail and water infrastructure, to bigger dreams like a sealed road from Perth to Cairns.

Speaking ahead of The Daily Telegraph Bush Summit, where he will debate billionaire environmentalist Mike Cannon-Brookes on a panel about net zero emissions, Mr Joyce said he was confident the government’s approach “inspiring innovation” rather than “prohibiting” industries.

“This is not having the state play a greater role in your life and tripping all over you,” he said.

Mr Joyce dismissed criticism his decision to back net zero after previously opposing it was “two faced,” arguing it would have been “worse to be just plan stupid”.

“And plain stupid would be to just say rather than work on a better plan, I’m just going to become a demonstrator not a negotiator,” he said.

“The prime minister would still go to Glasgow regardless, he would still go to cabinet with a plan we weren’t part of … then you’d have resigning ministers, then chaos and an election which you would lose.

“I would rather be a fighter in the expenditure review committee getting you than money than a hero in the local coffee shop screaming complaints heard by nobody.”

Mr Joyce said he was confident the Nationals “actual delivery” of infrastructure and support for regional economies would stand up to the “rhetoric” of attack campaigns from minor parties at the next federal election.

“There’s their rhetoric and then there’s the truth. Upgraded roads, mobile towers … highest cattle prices … highest sheep prices you’ve ever seen, record resources exports,” he said.