Sky News host Andrew Bolt has revealed Barnaby Joyce asked to re-record his answer to a question about One Nation’s ‘harsh’ homeownership policy after making a series of panicked phone calls on set.
Joyce was pressed on Pauline Hanson’s policy to block permanent residents from buying homes in Australia if they are not citizens on Thursday night.
‘We want to make sure you become a permanent resident… sorry, become an Australian citizen, excuse me. And that’s going to deal with the issue isn’t it? Become an Australian citizen,’ Joyce told the host.
‘Right… ok. Well that might be a bit of an issue for a number of people but we shall see how they resolve that,’ Bolt said.
Bolt later revealed Joyce asked if he could re-record a second answer to the question after making a series of rushed phone calls.
He said Joyce must have realised it would seemed ‘drastic’ to force permanent residents who own homes to sell them in two years, or become citizens.
‘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,’ he said.
‘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.’
Sky News host Andrew Bolt (pictured) has revealed Barnaby Joyce asked to re-record his answer to a question about One Nation’s ‘harsh’ homeownership policy
Bolt later revealed Joyce (pictured) asked if he could re-record a second answer to the question after making a series of rushed phone calls on set
The Daily Mail has contacted Joyce’s office for comment.
Hanson was quick to outline One Nation’s policy on homeownership in clear terms following the bungled interview.
‘Australian homes should be prioritised for Australians,’ she wrote on Friday.
‘One Nation makes no apologies for putting Australians first. Foreign owners – temporary visa holders and foreign citizens residing overseas – would be given two years to sell their Australian residential properties under One Nation’s policy.
‘Permanent residents have been accepted to settle in Australia permanently. They live here, work here, pay taxes here and build their lives here. Many are on the path to citizenship. One Nation’s policy does not require them to sell their homes.
‘Governments routinely regulate foreign investment in housing, agriculture, infrastructure and strategic assets. The Commonwealth already bans most foreign persons, including temporary residents and foreign-owned companies, from purchasing established dwellings, subject to exceptions.
‘Labor extended that ban in the 2026–27 Budget. One Nation’s policy effectively only extends these bans to new homes. Politicians attacking One Nation’s policy are attacking a principle the government already applies.’
Sky News also ran Joyce’s amended response to Bolt’s question.
Hanson (right) was quick to outline One Nation’s policy on homeownership in clear terms following the bungled interview
Should permanent residents have the same rights as citizens when it comes to owning Australian homes?
What’s your view?
‘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,’ he 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.’
Joyce confirmed the policy would apply to ‘foreign citizens who are basically not permanent residents’.
Bolt accused One Nation of ‘making policy up as it goes along’.
‘Joyce initially assumed One Nation’s policy on non-citizens owning property here was the most extreme interpretation of Hanson’s ambiguous statement,’ he said.
‘My moral dilemma? Well, I could have played you the calls that Barnaby made in our studio to clarify things, and got a big media splash, lots of clicks, but that, of course, would be unfair to Barnaby. I had indicated our interview was over.
‘On the other hand, I could have saved Barnaby embarrassment with some editing here, cutting out his first answer, replacing it with his second, and no one to know what had gone on, but then I would not have been straight with you.
‘Let the chips fall where they may, and you can decide for yourself, is One Nation yet ready for government?’
Source: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15875755/Barnaby-Joyce-Andrew-Bolt-interview.html
