CHINA TENSIONS:

The Defence Department is investigating whether China was behind a missile attack that destroyed the home of former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce. (main picture)

However, as political tensions in the Pacific region escalate following the visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, the department was reluctant to comment publicly about what it had discovered since the Sunday afternoon attack.

A Defence spokesperson refused to comment on unconfirmed reports that remnants of Chinese long-range missiles had been found at the site, nor would they expand on suggestions that China was now targeting any nation or prominent individual even vaguely sympathetic to Taiwan.

Former National Party leader, Mr Joyce, and his family escaped harm when missiles struck their single level farmhouse on a property outside Tamworth in the New England region in northern NSW.

“It all happened very suddenly and right before my eyes,” a shaken Mr Joyce told The Bug.

“I was driving back home after a meeting in my electorate and picked up my Huawei mobile phone to ring the missus who was with the kids at the shops in Tamworth.

“I had just driven through the front gate and was chatting to Vikki about our plans for the evening.

“As I drove I could actually see the house ahead of me up the drive. Then I said to her: ‘I’m going to tie one on tonight.’

“Then, bugger me, just moments later the house exploded in front of me. I couldn’t believe it. But if I had been just a few second earlier who knows what would have happened.

“Just as well I had those extra few schooners at the pub ….., I mean just as well I stayed an extra minute or so at the meeting,” Mr Joyce said.