The Hon. Barnaby Joyce MP

Member for New England

STATEMENT

21 September 2026

I would not be taking Keith’s gun license; I would be giving him a medal.

Out here we are remote and bad men know it. There are no police coming to save you if the bad man is at your door, you have to work it out for yourself or possibly be killed. 

This is what happened in the New England with Keith and Di Blessing. This is a beautiful couple, hardly a threat to anyone, but Kieth was a registered firearm owner and when he and his wife were allegedly in real peril that is they were about to be allegedly murdered, please understand my legal script here, he discharged a round to save his family’s life. 

Now to show the total absurdity of the justice system or actually the lack thereof, they are in process of removing Kieth’s gun license. 

So, here is my tip to the Labor Party. You are going to get an absolute towelling at the next election. There is a chance you may lose. One Nation is absolutely on the side of Regional Australians, legally owning firearms and protecting themselves when in absolute peril. 

There are a few Labor seats in inner Sydney where Labor is safe then there are the rest.  I suggest that the Premier talks to his Party Room about how to extract his party from this very bad news story. 

I would not be taking Keith’s gun license; I would be giving him a medal