Barnaby lashes trip for Turnbull to Bali conference

Barnaby Joyce has hit out at Scott Morrison for his decision to send Malcolm Turnbull to an environmental conference in Bali.

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull is to represent Australia at a conference in Bali. Picture: Ray Strange

Barnaby Joyce has hit out at Scott Morrison for his decision to send Malcolm Turnbull to an environmental conference in Bali despite anger with the former prime minister for his failure to support Liberal candidate Dave Sharma in Wentworth.

But sources say the Prime Minister is “done with” Mr Turnbull and will no longer ask the former leader to represent Australia on the international stage.

Mr Joyce said the decision to send Mr Turnbull to Bali didn’t “stack up”, accusing him of being “angry about losing his job” and destroying his legacy as prime minister.

Mr Joyce’s comments come after his own resignation earlier this year, and amid suggestions from colleagues last week that he had been “doing the numbers” and briefing against Nationals leader Michael McCormack.

Mr Joyce said Mr Turnbull should have been helping the party he previously led.

“He didn’t help, basically didn’t even send through so much as a text supporting Dave Sharma and, you know, it cost us the majority in parliament. Here’s a serious question to be asked, are you going to reward him with a position in ... Bali?” Mr Joyce said on 2GB.

Asked why Mr Turnbull had not helped campaign in Wentworth, Mr Joyce said: “I think he’s just angry, angry about ... losing his job. One can only presume he’s sort of sulking, but it’s something you’ve sort of got to get over with.”

The decision by Mr Morrison to ask Mr Turnbull to represent Australia in Bali next week has been met with a backlash from ­Coalition MPs. Liberal sources told The Daily Telegraph that while he would not rescind the decision to allow Mr Turnbull to represent Australia in Bali, Mr Morrison was now “done with” Mr Turnbull. “Scott has said to a number of senior Liberals that he doesn’t want anything further to do with Malcolm,” a source said.