BARNABY ANGLING FOR NAT LIFELINE
BARNABY Joyce and his secret lover worked closely together months after she was put on the payrolls of junior MPs – transfers designed to ensure the Deputy Prime Minister avoided breaching the ministerial code of conduct.
New questions have also emerged about a weekend Mr Joyce – who has left his wife for his former staffer Vikki Campion – spent in Canberra when he had no official meetings.
As Mr Joyce ( right) yesterday pleaded with National Party colleagues for more time for the scandal to blow over, it can be revealed Ms Campion – a former Townsville Bulletin journalist – continued to assist him with media events in June, August and September while in the employ of other ministers.
In June, while officially working for Senator Matt Can- avan in the newly created role of social media senior adviser, Ms Campion helped Mr Joyce with a media event he did alongside the National Carp Control Plan co-ordinator Matt Barwick at Parliament House in Canberra on a sitting day.
One attendee at the event confirmed Mr Joyce was accompanied by Ms Campion and two other staff members, but they said Senator Canavan was not present.
In August, photographs show Ms Camp ion assisted at a media conference held by Mr Joyce and National MPs Michelle Landry and Ken O’Dowd on the Rockhampton airport during a National Party get- together attended by all National MPs where Ms Campion gave a session on social media. And on September 8- 10, Ms Campion assisted Mr Joyce with media at the Nationals’ Federal Conference. Government sources said Natalie Joyce stopped receiving spousal entitlements in August. At that time, Ms Campion was in the very early stages of her pregnancy, with her baby due in April. Partners and family are banned from working for ministers without approval from the Prime Minister. There are also fresh questions about a weekend Mr Joyce spent in Canberra, where Ms Campion owns a unit, during a non- sitting period.
Mr Joyce stayed in Canberra on Saturday, July 15, and Sunday, July 16, during a non-sitting period of Parliament, claiming $ 276 in travel allowance for the Saturday night.
The only commitment he had that entire weekend was “portfolio briefings” at Parliament House on the Saturday.
“Mr Joyce was unable to return to Tamworth that night as the last connecting flight from Canberra was at 1.10pm,” his spokesman said.
“As the Deputy PM was required to be in Canberra on Monday morning; he chose not to return to Tamworth on Sunday as he would have flown a Canberra- SydneyTamworth- Sydney- Canberra circuit in one day.”
The weekend in Canberra follows revelations Mr Joyce spent 50 nights in Canberra last year, more than any other Cabinet minister.
Mr Joyce yesterday pleaded with colleagues for more time to let the scandal over his affair, and revelations about jobs for his girlfriend blow over, telling a party room meeting it could not stay on the front pages for much longer.
A late leadership push on Tuesday collapsed over the course of two hours with four instigators, understood to include former assistant minister Keith Pitt and Victorian MP Andrew Broad, failing to find adequate support to force the Deputy Prime Minister out. Mr Pitt denied being involved.
Party deputy leader Bridget McKenzie broke her weeklong silence to acknowledge the “unease” but backed Mr Joyce, shutting down speculation she could support a leadership change.