Gina Rinehart hands Barnaby Joyce a $40,000 National Agriculture Day award
UPDATE: BARNABY Joyce will not be accepting $40,000 bestowed on him by mining magnate and cattle queen Gina Rinehart last night, The Weekly Times understands.
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UPDATE: BARNABY Joyce will not be accepting $40,000 bestowed on him by mining magnate and cattle queen Gina Rinehart last night, The Weekly Times understands.
It’s understood Mr Joyce will not be accepting the prize money, and it will be returned to the award’s organisers.
The Nationals leader and former agriculture minister took time out from campaigning in the New England by-election to attend a gala dinner in Canberra last night, where Mrs Rinehart delivered the award, and accompanying cheque, for leadership and advocacy in the industry.
In her speech, Mrs Rinehart singled out Mr Joyce as “a champion of our industry and our friend”.
“The agriculture industry was very fortunate to have had such a dedicated, understanding and enthusiastic Minister, one with years of first-hand experience,” she said.
“A real Aussie country boy, and boy do we hope you return!”
But National Farmers Federation Fiona Simson has sinced claimed on Twitter she was left “completely surprised” by the award, which the NFF had not been consulted about.
👠#Agday is about the whole of industry not about any one person.We were not consulted & completely surprised by the presentation last night https://t.co/PexUq6zsJ7
— Fiona Simson (@afsnsw) November 21, 2017
Complete rubbish. @NationalFarmers & it’s partners supported and organised whole day of industry celebration,Hancock & partners did dinner. https://t.co/4M5uFEfRbd
— Fiona Simson (@afsnsw) November 21, 2017
“We didn’t, we don’t and we won’t support gifts to pollies,” Ms Simson also tweeted.
The first National Agriculture and Related Industries Day was held yesterday.
The day was the brainchild of Mrs Rinehart — who last year bought Australia’s biggest cattle holdings Kidman & Co with China’s Shanghai CRED — and was supported by the National Farmers’ Federation, as well as the Federal Government’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Mr Joyce helped launch the day in September, as agriculture minister, while under a cloud over his dual citizen status. He was disqualified from Parliament last month.
Labor’s agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said Mrs Rinehart’s decision to give the award to Mr Joyce raised many questions.
“Gina’s agriculture award could have gone to many people in agriculture — our innovative farmers, entrepreneurs, scientists, environmentalists ...” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“But no, it went to Barnaby Joyce who is facing an expensive by-election in New England.”
The Weekly Times is seeking comment from Hancock Prospecting and the Department of Agriculture.