Barnaby Joyce: Why don’t dole bludgers just sell their story for $150 000 to make ends meet?
He's a true blue Aussie—sorry—Kiwi battler
In an exclusive interview with hunny (that did not cost as much as $150 000), former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has shared explosive remarks, claiming “dole bludgers” are wasting taxpayers money when they should all just sell tell-all interviews to major networks to make ends meet.
“Some people have a baby for the baby bonus, and that’s just rorting the system! I had a baby and now I have to go on national television with my former staffer to pay for said baby,” Joyce told hunny.
These comments come amid calls to raise welfare payments. Economists have suggested that the Turnbull government should raise Newstart and Youth Allowance by at least $50, but Joyce isn’t convinced.
“Rubbish,” said Joyce, “keep it down, and interview prices up!”
Commentators have taken aim at Joyce, calling him a hypocrite for his stance in 2010 that Australians should not be entitled to maternity leave. Joyce told hunny his position against paid maternity leave is exactly why he’s had to do this interview.
“Vikki can now breathe easy with the payment—while I also take 11 weeks paternity leave from political work.” Many average Australians have taken to checking their leave entitlements to see if they too can take 11 weeks off. They cannot.