Crikey reporter Michael Newhouse writes:


Almost a week after the PM announced his plan to sell the rest of Telstra, new Queensland powerbroker Barnaby Joyce is still sticking in John Howard’s side and diverting a lot of attention to the bush, not to mention his tiny South Queensland town of St George.

Glenn Milne in today’s Australian previews the Joyce/Howard fight to come, and now that Telstra’s out of the way gives old Barnaby some encouragement for his upcoming industrial relations and VSU battles. While Milne is talking about growing antagonism in the federal ranks, local Queensland journos find Barnaby’s getting a pretty good run among voters in his home town.

Editor of regional daily the Toowoomba Chronicle, Jason Purdie, has only heard glowing reviews about Barnaby’s new role as the new voice of regional Queensland. “Feedback from the community is that we’re getting a pretty good deal with the extra $1 million he’s won (for phone services)… and that’s not a bad week in politics,” Purdie told Crikey.”There’s certainly no animosity, there’s a fair bit of ‘good on you mate.”

Local journalist with the Balonne Beacon, Raelene McVinish, told Crikey that although the media coverage coming out of Canberra and the capital cities has been somewhat sceptical, she said the new Senator seems to have garnered a cult following in his local town of 6000 people. “Most people hadn’t even heard of St George, so I guess he’s put St George on the map,” she said. In fact, the sleepy town has been attacked by the nation’s media, all of whom want to get a feel for where this country boy is coming from.