The agriculture minister famously took on Depp when the actor and his wife brought their dogs into Australia. Now Joyce says: ‘Every time he’s out of my mind, he’s back on late-night television’

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Barnaby Joyce has reopened his verbal joust with Johnny Depp, saying he needs to get over his anger and move on.

The deputy prime minister, who threatened to have the Hollywood star’s dogs euthanised last May unless they “buggered off” to the United States, said Depp was handing out free publicity on Australia’s biosecurity laws.

“Look, Mr Depp, Ms Heard, they just keep advertising our biosecurity requirements,” Joyce said on Seven Network’s Sunrise on Thursday.

Johnny Depp says Barnaby Joyce looks like he's 'inbred with a tomato' Read more

“They know they broke the law. They know that what they did was a threat of bringing rabies into our nation.”

Depp took a swipe at the politician earlier in the week during an interview on a US talk show, where he was quizzed about the legal case in which his wife Amber Heard pleaded guilty to illegally bringing their pet dogs into Australia.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star mocked Australia’s biosecurity laws before taking a swipe at Joyce, saying he looks “inbred with a tomato” and about to “explode”.

The deputy prime minister laughed off the insults when the topic was brought up on Sunrise on Thursday morning.

“Every time I forget about Mr Depp, every time he’s out of my mind, he’s back on late-night television in America.”

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“So, you know, he’s got to get over his anger, got to get over it! Got to realise, got to move on. Move on. Leave your anger behind, Johnny,” he added.

Depp and Heard made a public apology video to atone after Heard failed to file the correct paperwork when she brought their dogs Pistol and Boo into Australia.

The actress pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying quarantine documents, while two charges of illegal importation of an animal were dropped. She escaped conviction but copped a one-month good behaviour bond.

