changing the curtains

Barnaby Joyce referred again to the weatherboard and iron people in his comments on his demotion but the other phrase which emerged was his characterisation of the change of leadership in the Nationals as merely changing the curtains.

For those unfamiliar with the weatherboard and iron, it is cheap rural housing. So the weatherboard and iron people that Barnaby refers to are poor people in rural locations. Ironically, weatherboard and iron is now becoming trendy.

I think this is another Joycism.  There is any amount of advice and comment on Google with regard to the interior designer trick of changing the curtains to give a room a new look.  An easy way of refreshing the design of the room without doing anything major by way of renovations.

Barnaby has employed it to convey the idea that nothing fundamental has changed with the Nationals, but a new leadership gives it a new look and feel.

You have to hand it to Barnaby.  He can come up with creative imagery in the midst of his personal distress.  At the next election we may still be saying ‘They lost out because all they did was change the curtains’. The phrase may stick.
The Liberals  could perhaps be described as boarding up the windows.