Neil Mitchell: ‘How the hell can they get together and run the country?’

Neil Mitchell says Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has “taken a bat” to the Prime Minister in what could be the disintegration of the Turnbull government.

In a spectacular turn of events in Canberra, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has hit back at the Prime Minister after he was publicly scolded for a “shocking error of judgement” for his relationship with a former staffer.

Neil Mitchell says the extraordinary response from Mr Joyce today was an entirely destructive move for the Coalition government.

“I think you’ve just been listening to the end of the government,” he said.

“I think you have just heard the disintegration of the Turnbull government.

“How the hell can they get together and run the country?

“The political reality is Bill Shorten will be there falling off his chair laughing.

Click PLAY to hear the press conference

“If you can’t govern yourself you can’t govern the country.

“I’ve been watching politics for along time. I can’t remember anything quite like that.

“The Prime Minister has been called inept.

“What does Barnaby Joyce really think the Prime Minister can do now?”

Click PLAY to hear Channel 9’s political editor Chris Uhlmann with Neil Mitchell