Barnaby Joyce apologies for Gough Whitlam sledge A YOUNG Liberal-National Party operative and his supporters are about to get a "kick up the backside" for posting derogatory comments about ageing Labor icon Gough Whitlam. Nicholas Stanton and 17 of his friends are reportedly planning a ghoulish celebration of the former prime minister's birthday "because the man is old and nearly dead." Two of the group are believed to be working for federal Liberal MPs Peter Dutton and Andrew Laming, vexnews.com says. But Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce says the comments, posted on Mr Stanton's Facebook page, are in bad taste. "I'd say that they've got a kick up the backside coming their way very quickly," he told ABC Radio today. Senator Joyce offered a public apology on behalf of the party saying the comments were hurtful. You don't need to say them. Now that he's off the political football field you should be respecting his wife, Margaret, and the rest of his family. But Senator Joyce refused to speculate about the group's future in the LNP. That's not a question for me, that's a question for the executive. They should be aware that other people in the LNP have been kicked out for things said on Facebook. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was reluctant to comment when quizzed by reporters in Canberra today, saying he had not seen the report.