'The political version of training wheels': New support unit set up to help Barnaby Joyce with government-wide issues

By Heath Aston, Political Correspondent
Updated April 26 2016 - 4:35pm, first published April 25 2016 - 1:37pm
Looking at the 'big picture': New advisers will help Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce respond to issues outside his agriculture and water resources portfolios.  Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Looking at the 'big picture': New advisers will help Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce respond to issues outside his agriculture and water resources portfolios. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan says no such unit existed when he was deputy to prime ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd. Photo: Stefan Postles
Former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan says no such unit existed when he was deputy to prime ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd. Photo: Stefan Postles
A spokeswoman for Mr Joyce said the new unit had been modelled on the advice structure that served former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Warren Truss.  Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
A spokeswoman for Mr Joyce said the new unit had been modelled on the advice structure that served former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Warren Truss. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

A new "support unit" established inside the Department of Agriculture to advise Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on issues outside his portfolio has been mocked as "political training wheels" by Labor.