Canavan ‘created job’
Minister gave Joyce’s girlfriend plum role
RESOURCES Minister Matt Canavan created a new highsalary job for Barnaby Joyce’s girlfriend as the affair created serious dysfunction in the Deputy PM’s office.
Vikki Campion, who is now living with Mr Joyce and is pregnant with his child, was given a new role as a senior advisor in Senator Canavan’s office, working on his social and digital media, even as others within the party became increasingly concerned at the situation.
Senator Canavan, who is a close ally of fellow national party heavyweight Mr Joyce, did not have a fulltime staff member in this role prior to Ms Campion’s appointment. There is no suggestion she did not merit being employed in the new position.
Coalition sources said Mr Joyce’s former chief of staff, Diana Hallam, was close with Mr Joyce’s wife, Natalie, and quit her job over Mr Joyce’s refusal to deal with the inappropriate relationship and the dysfunction it caused.
Ms Campion, 33, had initially been sent from the office of former NSW Nationals Deputy Premier Troy Grant to work in Mr Joyce’s New England campaign in 2016 as a media adviser.
He took her to Canberra shortly afterwards. There were reports yesterday that Mr Joyce and Ms Campion could often be seen smoking together in the secluded Parliament House garden.
A spokeswoman for Senator Canavan declined to comment on “employment matters relating to any staff member”.
Ms Campion moved to the office of chief Nationals whip Damian Drum, remaining employed until the preChristmas reshuffle when she received a severance package after Mr Drum was promoted.
There has been no replacement in the social media role in Senator Canavan’s office.