Barnaby Joyce fails in bid for ACMA to take action against Kyle Sandilands for on air attack

SANDILANDS called the Agriculture Minister a “w*nker”, “a fool” and a “gerbil of a thing” during a heated radio interview about Johnny Depp’s dogs.

Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has failed in his bid to have ACMA reprimand Kyle Sandilands.

BARNABY Joyce has failed in his bid to have Kyle Sandilands formally sanctioned after he called the agriculture minister a “w*nker”, “a fool”, “a ponce” and a “gerbil of a thing” during a heated radio interview.

The Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) cleared Sandilands and radio station KIIS FM of any wrongdoing during the heated five minute interview about Hollywood star Johnny Depp’s dogs.

Sandilands launched the tirade against Joyce who had threatened to euthanase Depp’s dogs, Pistol and Boo, after they were illegally smuggled into the country while Depp was filming the latest instalment in the Pirates of the Carribbean movie franchise on the Gold Coast.

ACMA found the May 15 interview had not breached the generally accepted standards of decency or the treatment of participants in live programs.

News_Image_File: Did nothing wrong ... Kyle Sandilands has nothing to fear from ACMA.

“The ACMA accepts that the audience of Kyle and Jackie O would have been familiar with the, at times, confrontational and irreverent style of the hosts, as well as the nature of the language frequently used on the program,’’ the judgement said.

“The ACMA is satisfied that the broadcast did not treat Mr Joyce in a highly exploitative manner.”

News_Image_File: The dogs that caused all the fuss: Pistol and Boo.News_Image_File: Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

The watchdog found the Kyle and Jackie O show was not a news and current affairs program and therefore did not have the same obligations to provide a fear and balanced interview.

Mr Joyce, through his office, lodged a formal complaint after he was disappointed the station did not issue a formal apology for the interview.