Scandals see Joyce bow out
AUSTRALIA: Barnaby Joyce resigned yesterday, quitting the Australian deputy prime ministership and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s front bench more than two weeks after news that he and his former stafferturned-partner Vikki Campion are expecting a baby boy.
Joyce’s resignation came after rising public pressure for him to go, as well as from within his Nationals and their coalition partners, the Liberal Party.
The Nationals – who had until now been able to pride themselves on their stability and aversion to chopping and changing leaders, unlike other major political parties – have been rocked by the scandal around Joyce’s personal life.
Related questions about Joyce’s use of his travel entitlements, new allegations of sexual harassment by a woman in Western Australia, and the appropriateness of the redeployment of Campion to the offices of senator Matt Canavan and MP Damian Drum further damaged Joyce and contributed to his exit.
His decision came less than 24 hours after backbench Nationals MP Andrew Broad called on him to quit.
The country-based party is expected to choose a new leader at a party room meeting in Canberra on Monday.
Joyce said he hoped the resignation would serve as a circuit breaker for Campion, his wife Natalie and their four daughters, and his unborn son.