“He's got the balls for the job.”
That’s how one farmer polled for Fairfax Agricultural Media’s federal election survey described Barnaby Joyce.
Here’s how another summed him up:
“He isn't very bright and he's a danger. Just because he can ride a motorbike and a horse doesn't make him an expert on agriculture. He is a fool”.
While some in the bush evidently have doubts about him, the Nationals leader has scored a solid pass mark from country voters.
Asked to score Mr Joyce’s performance between one and five - with one for “poor” and five “excellent” - on average respondents to the farm poll gave the Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister a score of 3.5.
Nationally, 5 per cent of rural voters rated his performance “poor”, 12pc rated it “excellent” and 43pc scored him a four out of five.
In Queensland/NT, those giving the minister top marks rose to 20pc.
His highest “poor” score across the states was in NSW, where Mr Joyce is fighting to retain New England against the seat’s former independent MP Tony Windsor.
Among rural voters in NSW, 7pc rated his performance “poor” but 15pc rated him “excellent” and 45pc scored him four out of five.
Across agricultural industries, 15pc of dairy farmers and 14pc of cattle farmers give Mr Joyce top marks, while 45pc and 43pc in those industries, respectively, score him a four out of five.
Seven per cent of dairy farmers score him “poor”.
Of those nationally who rate him “poor”, 70pc say he “lacks credibility”.
Of those who rate him “excellent”, 41pc say he “understands rural issues” and 39pc say he’s “honest and up-front”.
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