Barnaby Joyce told to toe the line

Senator Joyce, who last week took on the finance portfolio, caused headlines yesterday with his warning that the US could trigger an "economic Armageddon" by defaulting on its debts.

The Queensland senator also suggested the State Government did not have the capacity to repay its borrowings.

The maverick Nationals senator was lambasted yesterday by state and federal Labor figures who accused him of "irresponsible thought bubbles" and "outrageous" claims.

Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser denied the state had debt troubles and said Senator Joyce's fledgling frontbench career had commenced in "a blaze of stupidity".

"They are arrant nonsense from the person who pretends to be the alternative finance minister," Mr Fraser said. "Looks like Barnaby Joyce is determined to embarrass us as the worst shadow minister in 150 years with these outrageous, baseless, ill-informed and disloyal comments."→