'If you want to murder someone, join the army and do it legally': Barnaby Joyce says 'evil' people should join the Australian Army

  • Barnaby Joyce said 'evil people' who want to murder others should join the army
  • Deputy PM said that would allow them to 'do it legally' instead of with ISIS
  • Answer in response to Tony Abbott calls for special terrorism courts
  • He was slammed by Greens senator who said he was attracting 'psychopaths' 

By Nic White For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Barnaby Joyce says 'evil people' who want to murder others should join the Australian Army so they can 'do it legally'.

The Deputy Prime Minister appeared to imply the same people who would fight for ISIS would also be interested in serving in the Defence Force.

'People coming back from engagement overseas obviously means that they were overseas trying to murder people, and murdering is against the law,' he said.

Barnaby Joyce says 'evil people' who want to murder others should join the Australian Army so they can 'do it legally'

Barnaby Joyce says 'evil people' who want to murder others should join the Australian Army so they can 'do it legally'

'If you want to go overseas and murder other people, well you're an evil person, and if what you really want to do is be involved in a conflict then join the Australian Army and do it legally.'

The bizarre answer was in response to questions about Tony Abbott's call for special terror courts to deal with returning foreign fighters.

The former Prime Minister said the only safe jihadi is one who has been lawfully killed, imprisoned or thoroughly converted from Islamism.

'We need to ensure every returning jihadi can readily be charged and convicted, possibly through the creation of special courts that can hear evidence that may not normally be admissible,' he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

The Deputy Prime Minister appeared to imply the same people who would fight for ISIS would also be interested in serving in the Defence Force

The Deputy Prime Minister appeared to imply the same people who would fight for ISIS would also be interested in serving in the Defence Force

The bizarre answer was in response to questions about Tony Abbott's call for special terror courts to deal with returning foreign fighters

The bizarre answer was in response to questions about Tony Abbott's call for special terror courts to deal with returning foreign fighters

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, a former army officer candidate, said Mr Joyce appeared to be trying to attract 'psychopaths' to the ADF.

'Pretty f**kin dumb thing to say... even by Barnaby's standards. Was he trying to make a s**tty joke?' he told Buzzfeed.

'Either way it sends the wrong message on so many levels. This kind of c**p cliche from a Deputy PM reflects poorly on the professionalism and motivations of our serving and ex-Defence Force personnel, many who are suffering from their service.

'It's potentially counter-productive to recruitment efforts and might attract the wrong sort of person to the ADF.'

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, a former army officer candidate, said Mr Joyce appeared to be trying to attract 'psychopaths' to the ADF

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, a former army officer candidate, said Mr Joyce appeared to be trying to attract 'psychopaths' to the ADF

It was not Mr Joyce's only odd statement of the day, as he appeared on a Sky News panel discussing whether there was a link between refugees and terrorism.

'When you say there's no link between refugees and terrorism, if you look at the last three fatal terror attacks in Australia over the last three years they've all been refugees either coming as kids or...' Sky's David Speers said. 

Mr Joyce responded: 'Well that's like saying they're all blokes. So do you think there's a link between testicles and terrorism?'

ISIS

Most watched News videos