Senator Barnaby Joyce 42, is the Senate leader of the National Party and is also the Opposition's Finance Spokesperson. He's considered to be extremely independent and crossed the floor 19 times under the Howard Government. He's a very likeable character, not the least bit like an accountant, a bit blustery, stutters a little and once worked as a bouncer.
In his maiden speech to the Senate in August 2005, he expressed his desire to see the enormous power of the two main supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths reduced to give small business a fair go. A Catholic, his greatest goal in public life would be to ban the "unfortunate carnage" of abortion.
The Rudd Government got very upset with Barnaby yesterday when he cast doubt on whether or not Australia could repay its mounting debt. He also mentioned a few days ago that America may have to default on its crippling debt. Kevin Rudd was so outraged by these two statements, he wants him sacked.
Australia's net debt is budgeted to peak at $153 billion in 2014-15 and is about 9% of gross domestic product which is chicken feed when compared to the US figure of 85% and Britain at a staggering 92%. I think it would be fair to suggest that America may well have trouble repaying their debt - it's frightening, almost as bad as the UK's. It makes you realise just how well our country is ticking along.
Kevin Rudd stands by his decision to spend his way out of the recession and takes credit for keeping it at bay. This fact can't be disputed because we don't know what would have happened if he hadn't sent all those cheques out to everyone for Christmas.
Just because the country is cruising along nicely, doesn't mean we shouldn't keep a close eye on our rising debt, and there sure is plenty of it, more and more being announced every day.
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