Death threat and bullet in the mail for Barnaby

A bullet accompanied by a threatening note has been sent to Barnaby Joyce’s former electorate office in Tamworth.

Barnaby Joyce in Tamworth. Picture: Antony Hands

Police have been called after a bullet accompanied by a threatening note from an Adani protester was sent to Barnaby Joyce’s former electorate office in Tamworth.

The bullet arrived earlier this week with a note about the $1 billion loan the federal government wants to grant to Adani. It also mentioned other environmental issues, including mining on the Liverpool Plains.

“People always think these wonderful green lobbyists, they’re all so peaceful,’’ Mr Joyce said yesterday. “Well, no. They’ve sent a bullet to my office, which apparently was supposed to go through my head and this is the sort of garbage we have to put up with.

“These people are not pacifists. They’re militant, they’re violent, they want to destroy our economy and they’re happy to threaten you, they want to kill you.’’

NSW police confirmed yesterday they had received a complaint in relation to the threat.

Mr Joyce also criticised Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to withdraw support for the loan for the Adani mine and Ms Palaszczuk’s reason for the decision — her partner Shaun Drabsch’s involvement in the loan and perceptions of a conflict of interest.

“It’s ridiculous. Where did this final epiphany that the person she’s married to apparently has a job,” Mr Joyce said.

“I think it’s weak as water. If that’s conflict of interest then everything that they’ve ever been involved with is conflict of interest. Maybe their relationship is a conflict of interest.

“Weasel things like that annoy people. You’re getting out of Adani, not because of conflict of interest. You’re trying to get green preferences and (Deputy Premier) Jackie Trad’s your conflict of interest, not your partner.

“Ms Trad is basket weaver No 1 in Queensland and she’s saying ‘we’re going to lose Greens preferences in the centre of Brisbane if you build Adani and therefore Annastacia’s come up with this ridiculous, implausible way out and everybody’s calling it for what it is.

“You go to Townsville — youth unemployment’s 20 per cent.”