One Nation recruit Barnaby Joyce makes bizarre on-air backflip on party’s migration policy

Newly recruited One Nation candidate Barnaby Joyce was forced into an extraordinary backflip on live TV during an interview with Sky News after appearing uncertain about the party’s policy on home ownership for non-citizens.

Questioned by the program’s host, Andrew Bolt, on Pauline Hanson’s proposal to prevent permanent residents from buying homes unless they become Australian citizens, Mr Joyce initially suggested the policy could require some migrants to sell their properties.

“That’s my belief in the policy, it does,” Mr Joyce replied when asked if the policy would mean 400,000 Australian permanent residents would be kicked out of their houses.

“We want to make it, that you become … an Australian citizen … and that will, that’s going to deal with the issue, isn’t it? Become an Australian citizen.”

But after the interview wrapped up on Thursday night, Mr Joyce made several urgent phone calls to clarify the policy before returning to the studio and asking to record a revised answer.

“Okay, that was the interview, and I said goodbye to Barnaby, and Barnaby sat there, and he must have thought, as I did, you know, given that nearly 400,000 permanent residents in Australia own their own home, that it seemed drastic or cruel to make them sell it in two years or become citizens, and that they’d face repossession if they didn’t comply,” Mr Bolt explained.

“And after the interview with Barnaby, something extraordinary happened.

“He must have figured he actually had no idea what Pauline Hanson’s policy on foreign ownership of homes really was, and must have realised this was going a bit harsh.

“So, with our cameras on him, he rang two people back at the office, and one said no, the policy actually didn’t affect permanent residents, and the second senior said it did, and Barnaby left the studio.

“Minutes later, he came back and said actually there was now a change of policy. Could he record a new answer? And I agreed. Here it is.”

The broadcaster then played the footage of Mr Joyce reversing his earlier position.

“This policy is formative, but on further investigation and discussions with One Nation, no, we are not going to be kicking permanent residents out of their house,’’ Mr Joyce said.

“We want people to progress through to Australian citizenship, but that should not come at the expense of permanent residents being divested of their house. It was an issue that needed further clarity. I’ve got it, and that’s it.”

Asked who the policy would apply to, Mr Joyce said “obviously, it applies to people who are foreign citizens who are basically not permanent residents.”