Barnaby Joyce and One Nation Senator Sean Bell have struggled to explain the party's housing policy in a series of interviews, with Joyce requesting a second TV appearance to clarify and Bell being cut off during a radio segment described as a 'trainwreck'. The confusion began when Joyce told Sky News on Thursday that the policy would force permanent residents to sell their homes, before quickly returning to correct himself after consulting colleagues.
Sky News host Andrew Bolt, who interviewed Joyce, later told viewers the blunder showed One Nation was 'literally making up policy as it goes along'. Pauline Hanson intervened on Friday, stating that the policy targets 'foreign owners' such as temporary visa holders, requiring them to sell properties within two years, while permanent residents would be exempt.
Despite Hanson's clarification, Senator Bell failed to provide a clear answer during a 2GB interview. When pressed by host Mark Levy on what would happen if properties were not sold within the two-year timeframe, Bell called it 'an excellent question' but did not respond directly. Levy ended the interview, telling Bell to 'get some clarity before this gets worse'.
One Nation's website states: 'We must stop the sale of property to non-residents and non-citizens.' Hanson has previously said foreign owners should be given two years to sell, or the property would be repossessed by the federal government. Liberal senator Jane Hume also described the episode as a 'trainwreck'.
