Barnaby Joyce skips parliament for ‘festival of the tractor’

One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce is skipping parliament to attend “the festival of the tractor” in his electorate, the New England MP says.

Mr Joyce and the country’s other 225 federal parliamentarians returned to Canberra last week for the first sitting fortnight since the lengthy five-week winter break.

The legislative agenda has been packed, with MPs and senators focused on the Albanese government’s gambling reforms and sweeping changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

But despite the workload, Mr Joyce was not among the thousands to pass through doors of Parliament House on Wednesday.

He was instead 600km away in north central NSW fulfilling a “promise” to take his children to AgQuip – “Australia’s largest premier primary industry field days”, according to the event’s site.

“We’ve got so many people from my electorate that go to it. I promised them I would be there.

“Unfortunately, it’s on the same day as parliament. So I’m taking my kids to meet constituents at the festival of the tractor.”

Held in fertile farm lands just west of Gunnedah, it has been running for more than 50 years and gives the agricultural equipment makers a chance to showcase their wares to growers and enthusiasts alike.

Originally published as Barnaby Joyce skips parliament for ‘festival of the tractor’