Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon says Barnaby Joyce's Christmas video - in which he urges Australians to respect God's plan for climate change - shows the former deputy prime minister is feeling "contrite" about years of government inaction.

Mr Joyce posted a video of himself to Twitter on Christmas Eve saying Australians are "fools" who will "get nailed" unless they acknowledge there's a "higher authority" that needs to be respected.

The Member for New England made the comments while filming himself feeding his cattle.

Mr Fitzgibbon told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that no amount of prayers could change Mr Joyce's record of climate change denialism.