Media Release – Senator Barnaby Joyce, 11 July 2011 (my emphasis added):
Joel, if you represent Hunter you’ll vote against the carbon tax
I have been travelling around the Hunter Valley and I can’t find one person who supports the carbon tax, not one, and believe you me I have been asking for their opinion.
It would seem that for local member Joel Fitzgibbon sticking by his mates in Canberra is more important than sticking by his mates in Hunter.
Joel, I know it will be tough for a while but, take it from me, you will survive crossing the floor. Labor will be dirty on it for a while but they’ll get over it.
Joel, I managed to do it only a year and half ago, and about 20 other times as well I think. I reckon Joel you can do it once. You’ll survive Joel you really will and you would have done something incredible you would have represented your constituents.
Don’t think that the people I spoke to today don’t understand that if you cross the floor you can stop the carbon tax.
Even your Labor mate Tony Windsor says that you should represent your constituents, though he seems to have forgotten about that lately.
So I tell the people of Hunter that Joel can stop the carbon tax. Your local member has immense power. Even if he just said he would cross the floor he could stop it.
Let’s see how big the heart in his chest really is. Let’s see what he really thinks of you.
So, Joel you tell your constituents that you are not going to vote for it, you are going to cross the floor, you are going to represent the people of Hunter first and foremost. When those little bells ring and those little green lights flash, just walk into the chamber, toughen up and vote for Hunter.
More Information – Matt Canavan 0458 709 433
Barnaby Is Right 
Go Barnaby! All it would take is one of those, what do ya call em; er, ‘conscience votes’? Unfortunately, it seems you may as well have been pleading for sense from your own cat or dog…..