Nationals leader won’t probe abortion claims

Nationals leader Michael McCormack won’t investigate allegations people in federal parliament tried to pressure Barnaby Joyce’s lover Vikki Campion into having an abortion.

In a television interview aired on Sunday night, Campion said she was told by ‘‘conservatives’’ within parliament to have an abortion or risk people ‘‘coming after her’’.

McCormack, who replaced Joyce as deputy prime minister in February, said he knew nothing of the allegations and defended his Nationals partyroom colleagues.

‘‘They are the finest people in regional Australia and I’m proud to serve with each and every one of them,’’ McCormack told reporters in Sydney yesterday.

‘‘If there’s anything else to be said, that should be between Barnaby and Vikki and whoever they are saying, they are alleging, made the comments.’’

Joyce has admitted to fighting for his political survival, despite knowing his job was untenable after Campion fell pregnant.

Critics are calling on the former deputy prime minister to resign from politics.

‘‘Barnaby has taken leave from the parliament and I think he should probably pack up his office, go home and spend time with his family,’’ Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young told the Seven Network. ‘‘He will never be the deputy prime minister again. He will never be the leader of the Nationals, and I don’t think he will ever get re-elected in the seat of New England.’’

Independent senator Derryn Hinch said Joyce had thrown Campion under the bus and was still betraying the National Party.

But former prime minister Tony Abbott disagrees. ‘‘He’s a friend and he’ll stay a friend and I think that if he wants to he still has a quite a bit more to give to our country.’’

The interview was the ninth most watched programme on Australian television on Sunday, drawing an audience of 631,000. – AAP