Joyce strain revealed in ‘renounce’ Freudian slip

“Today in GDP figures agriculture is…responsible for more growth than any other sector and that’s something you have to renounce over and over again so people understand that you’ve got to take agriculture seriously if you want to take the economy of our nation seriously because it’s really delivering,” he said.

“And one of the best examples of that is the wine industry – going from $2.2 billion, it’s going to be $3.5b by 2020 – this is amazing growth.”

It may have been only a single word, but Mr Joyce saying ‘renounce’, instead of any number of other terms, in the rightful context of wanting to repeatedly spruik agriculture’s vital importance to the Australian economy, was clearly a Freudian slip that stood out to convey broader political interest and intrigue.

Renounce means to ‘formally declare one's abandonment of a claim, right, or possession’ or ‘to refuse to continue to recognise or abide by’.

It appeared as out of place in his three-minute talk as the man himself wearing anything other than a Wallabies guernsey never mind that of the All Blacks or standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Greens to represent rural Australians and farmers.

But regardless, the little slip-up showed exactly how much the ongoing citizenship saga is weighing heavily on Mr Joyce’s state of mind and crash tackling his sub-conscience in awkward moments.

The Deputy Prime Minister has already renounced his NZ citizenship shortly after it came to light late last month.

But until the High Court ultimately decides his political fate next month, as per Section 44 of the constitution, his rightful place in federal parliament and as the member for New England remains in doubt.

The controversy has also seen a return to public commentary and the sport of ‘Barnaby bashing’ by his political nemesis Tony Windsor who is a party by relevance to the High Court matter and could potentially reclaim his former seat off the Nationals, at a by-election, if the Court rules Section 44 has been breached.

Mr Joyce is also facing relentless political pressure from a rampant Labor party which is claiming any ministerial decisions he makes are illegitimate, while he remains unwilling to step aside from cabinet, as the citizenship question remains unresolved.

Calls for the normally outspoken Nationals leader to step down from the ministry intensified this week, sparking more question time brawling, ahead of him becoming acting Prime Minister in Malcolm Turnbull’s absence.

Mr Turnbull may only be away from his post for about 24 hours in Samoa to meet with regional leaders at the annual Pacific Islands Forum.

But that’s plenty enough time for Labor to seize the moment and spend this week trying to wreak further havoc on Barnaby Joyce’s increasingly distracted mind.

The citizenship saga has also captured Nationals deputy-leader Fiona Nash who has also been a focal point of repeated questioning and Opposition attacks during Senate question time this week amid calls for the Regional Development Minister to also step aside from cabinet, until the High Court makes its determination.

Despite the small but telling verbal blooper, Mr Joyce didn’t disappoint the modest gathering of MPs and Senators and wine industry delegates – many who’d travelled from far and wide, including from WA’s south-west wine growing region for SEEKWINE Australia founder Kevin Sorgiovani, to the event at Parliament House in Canberra.

The Nationals leader shook hands with guests, shared a wine and conversations and posed for pictures without any prompting, as soon as he finished his speech, to help cap a successful launch.