Joyce ‘felt trapped’ in his marriage

FRESH insights have revealed how the affair that brought down Barnaby Joyce began.

A source told The Sunday Telegraph Mr Joyce told Vikki Campion about “feeling trapped” in a “loveless marriage”.

The source revealed that early in the relationship, Mr Joyce told Ms Campion he was “separated” but felt torn about what impact leaving his family would have on his daughters.

On Sunday, acting Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie blamed “hard work, focus and drive” for his problems.

Senator McKenzie told the ABC’s Insiders life in federal politics “ends up taking a toll”.

“Barnaby himself admitted that he wasn’t home a lot and there were issues that occurred as a result of his focus and drive for regional Australia,” she said.

On Saturday, the woman who has accused Mr Joyce of sexual harassment broke her silence, a day after he revealed her complaint was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”.

Former West Australian Rural Woman of the Year Catherine Marriott said she detailed her account of the alleged 2011 incident in a letter to the National Party executive in the hope of preventing similar events in future involving others less able to speak up.

Mr Joyce has denied the claims.

– Rohan Smith and Ben Graham