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Former deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has today been forced to justify the comments he made to a newspaper in which he claimed his $211,000 income was “spread thin”.

The article prompted criticism from his fellow parliamentarians, prompting Mr Joyce to clarify his circumstances.

“I’m not saying i’m full on Weetbix dinners povo” said the Member for New England.

“But, I am making far more trips to Aldi than when Turnbull was PM”

“And we only get to go to the pictures on Cheapo Tuesdays. And that’s only because Armidale cinemas let kids under four in for free”

This comments follow Barnaby’s very unScomo comments that suggest poor people must be struggling to lift themselves up by their boot straps on the $280 bucks they are allocated a week on the Newstart allowance.

About 723,000 Australians receive the Newstart allowance. If they are single they live on about $40 a day.

The payment has not increased in real terms for 25 years, unlike the hysterical rental market, which is even crook by Tamworth and Armidale standards.

Welfare groups, the business community and politicians across the political spectrum have called for an increase in Newstart payments. The Government has repeatedly rejected those calls and insisted two-thirds of people on Newstart found work within 12 months. Which means Barnaby’s comments are extremely off-brand for the ‘Quiet Australians’ who hate the idea of people being able to stay alive while unemployed.

However, Barnaby stands by his comments that the cost of living in Australia was not conducive to the welfare payments that haven’t been raised since Keating.

“Look at this shit” said the former Deputy Prime Minister, pointing towards his 2003-era Wu-Wear jumper.

“My cousin Bradley is a three XL. It’s a pretty bloody ordinary prospect that I have get around town in his old clothes”

“Obviously my National Party uniform of moleskins and RMs are paid for by the tax-payer, but when it comes to wearing civvies around my electorate… I have to dress like a Bliss n Eso roadie”

“Imagine if I was on $14,560.00 a year, like actual poor people”