Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has slammed former colleague Andrew Robb’s opposition to a foreign influence register.

Mr Robb quit as a Turnbull minister before the last election, immediately walking into an $880,000 a year job with a Chinese company linked to the communist party.

He says a new public register for people seeking to influence Australian politics on behalf of foreign interests is targeting him and claims “attempts to trash my reputation being aided and abetted by the government”.

Speaking with Chris Smith, Barnaby Joyce issued a stunning rebuke of the former trade minister.

“I don’t get it. I do not agree with you Andrew Robb, you are wrong!

“People are asking questions about Andrew and I think they’ve got every entitlement.

“I’ve got no friends either side, if it’s a question between my nation and an individual I’ll go with my nation every time.”

Click PLAY below to hear the Deputy Prime Minister’s comments