One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce said the Labor Party's 2026 [1] federal budget is a disaster that should be discarded.
The criticism highlights growing political friction over housing affordability and economic management, issues that often dictate voter shifts in regional Australia.
Speaking in an interview with Sky News host Steve Price, Joyce said the budget has been widely panned. He said the current economic plan fails to address the core needs of the population, specifically regarding the property market.
"We should bin this budget, it’s a disaster, and it’s been widely panned," Joyce said.
Joyce focused his critique on the budget's projected impact on housing. He said he does not believe the measures will increase home ownership for those seeking houses. Instead, he said the plan is likely to put renters under a lot of stress.
Beyond the economic impact, Joyce addressed the political consequences for the governing Labor Party. He said the budget's perceived failures are driving a shift in voter loyalty toward his own party.
"The Labor Party are leaking votes now to us [One Nation], which I suppose is the upside of the budget," Joyce said.
Joyce's comments come as the 2026 [1] budget faces scrutiny over its ability to mitigate the cost-of-living crisis. While the government maintains its plan is designed for long-term stability, critics like Joyce argue the immediate pressure on renters and aspiring homeowners is too great to ignore.
“"We should bin this budget, it’s a disaster, and it’s been widely panned."”
This critique signals a strategic attempt by One Nation to capture disillusioned Labor voters by framing the federal budget as an urban-centric failure that ignores the struggles of renters and first-time buyers. By linking economic policy directly to voter migration, Joyce is positioning his party as the primary beneficiary of the government's perceived mismanagement of the housing crisis.
