12 February, 2016 13:45
CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
While the National Party prepares for the reshuffle that will follow the retirement of current leader, Warren Truss – it seems the most likely successor, Barnaby Joyce is already settling into his new role as Deputy Prime Minister Of Australia.
The Minister for New England was today shown around his new living quarters in the Prime Minister’s harbour mansion in Point Piper, by none other than the first lady, Lucy Turnbull.
“Im so stoked to try my hand at doing Deputy Prime Minister stuff” Mr Joyce told The Advocate this morning over a long black and several Winfield Reds after his grand tour of his new boathouse bedroom.
“Running the Ag stuff has been great fun but I can’t wait to weigh in on the city issues…”
“First things first, the parking in Double Bay needs to be sorted out. I’m getting stung a couple hundred each time I go down to the Royal Oak for a couple schooners… And that’s before I even get a fine! [laughter]
In footage captured by Channel Nine earlier this morning, Mr Joyce appeared to be quite excited upon inspecting the Turnbull boathouse, a residence that he will call home for the next six months – and depending on the upcoming election – another three years as well.
“Now you have a key to the upstairs house, but please make sure you text Mal before you come barging up. You never know who we might have up here.” Mrs Turnbull told the former St George tighthead prop.
The Turnbull residence is one that has hosted many other high-profile Sydneysiders before the Prime Minister purchased it in the mid-90s.
For many years, the Point Piper beachfront was home to the late socialite Klara Saunders, wife of the late Westfield Holdings director John Saunders, who in turn had bought the property from Alan Bond in 1979 for $900,000.
The Turnbull’s bought what was then a beachfront residence known as Le Gai Soleil in 1994 for $5,425,000 before commissioning a renovation shortly after, promptly dropping the Le Gai Soleil name. They then purchased the adjoining property ‘Gwandalan’ for $7.1 million in 1999.
It would seem that although he will only be staying in the waterfront boathouse, Barnaby Joyce is be the first person born west of Balmain to step foot inside the property, let alone live there.
“We did float the possibility of charging you board, but as Malcolm mentioned earlier, as long as you can keep up the maintenance of the pool area – we’d be happy to have you stay here rent-free,” said Mrs Turnbull as she opened the blinds in the soon-to-be Deputy Prime Minister new Eastern Suburbs studio apartment.
“In here is where we keep the creepy crawly for the pool. As Malcolm mentioned earlier, all you need to do with that thing is make sure you drop it in once a week. If its playing up, the numbers for the pool shop are on the bench in your kitchenette,”
“Please keep the music down in here, and if you are bringing back guests, please remember we have very important neighbours.”
While Barnaby Joyce and Malcolm Turnbull boast a close friendship, it appears the living arrangements will be based purely around business and convenience, with Mrs Turnbull outline the following house rules:
- Barnaby must text or email Malcolm before coming upstairs.
- Barnaby is, under no circumstance, allowed to have friends from the bush stay over
- No shoes inside the “top-house”
- Barnaby is limited to two ice blocks per-day in the top fridge
- No Queensland Beer
- No Bundaberg Rum
- Barnaby must walk at least ten metres down the street if he wants to smoke
- Barnaby must park his landcruiser at least ten metres down the street
- Barnaby is to stay downstairs when we have the Triguboffs over for dinner
- Barnaby is to stay downstairs when we have the Maloufs over for dinner
- Barnaby is to stay downstairs when we have the Lowys over for dinner
- Barnaby is to stay downstairs when we have the Packers over for dinner
- If Barnaby answers the home phone, he must always say we are out, particularly if it is Mike Baird
- No Slim Dusty
- Barnaby can only fire up the Weber between 4pm-10pm on weekends only
