**Albanese Calls for Barnaby Joyce’s Removal Over Controversial ‘Bullet’ Comment**
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has demanded that Barnaby Joyce be removed from the shadow frontbench following Joyce’s inflammatory comments suggesting voters use their ballots like bullets to "say goodbye" to the prime minister and other senior Labor figures.
At an anti-wind farm rally in Lake Illawarra, Joyce urged attendees to "load that magazine" and vote out Albanese, Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen, and local MP Stephen Jones, referring to ballots as "bullets."
"The bullet you have is this little piece of paper," Joyce said. "It goes in the magazine called the voting box and it’s coming up. Get ready to load that magazine. Go, goodbye Chris. Goodbye, Stephen. Goodbye, Albo."
Albanese condemned the remark as "completely unacceptable," particularly given the recent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump and rising concerns over harassment and violence against MPs.
"I am not sure what Barnaby Joyce has to do to lose his job," Albanese told ABC's *Afternoon Briefing*. "Peter Dutton has had four reshuffles already. There should have been a fifth today."
Albanese criticized Joyce's comments as a new low, saying, "It is one thing to have extreme language on climate change, but this is entirely inappropriate and violent."
Joyce, a former deputy prime minister, faced backlash for the comment, made at a rally opposing offshore wind farms. He later apologized on Channel 7, stating, "I said your ballot paper is … the weapon you have. It shouldn't be a bullet. It should be the ballot paper and the ballot box."
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's office deemed the apology sufficient, while local MP Stephen Jones and Labor MP Peter Khalil condemned the remarks as "dog whistling to political violence" and "highly irresponsible."
In a subsequent interview with ABC's *Illawarra Mornings*, Joyce defended his metaphor, saying it was meant to emphasize the power of voting but acknowledged it might not have been appropriate.
Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley noted that while she wouldn't have used the same metaphor, Barnaby Joyce's language is known for being colorful. She emphasized the need for discourse that fosters social cohesion rather than division.