Joyce affair: Drum heard ‘rumours’

Former Nationals whip’s comments confirm the relationship was subject of open conversation

Former Nationals whip Damian Drum says he was aware of “rumours” of a relationship between Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion when he hired her as a political staffer last July, but he had been told the affair had ended.

Drum told the ABC yesterday his then chief of staff had told him there was no longer “an ongoing affair” between Joyce, the Nationals leader and deputy prime minister, and Campion, his former staffer — and he had been more concerned “about the work that she was going to do for us” than her relationship status.

“Certainly my understanding when [Campion] came across was, a) the relationship had finished, and b) to me it was irrelevant,” Drum said, while confirming that she was the highest paid media adviser in his office during her tenure, which began last July.

Drum’s comments, which appear to confirm the relationship was the subject of open conversation within government ranks from at least the middle of 2017, came after Malcolm Turnbull told parliament he had confidence in Joyce.

But the prime minister also pointedly distanced himself from staffing decisions that saw Campion moved between political offices in 2017.

Responding to a Labor pursuit in question time yesterday, the prime minister said Joyce had not discussed Campion’s employment with him, and the treasurer, Scott Morrison, made it plain that Joyce had ultimate responsibility for staff appointments in the National party.

The hunkering down by Liberals came in response to questions being raised about whether there had been a breach of the ministerial code of conduct, which explicitly forbids ministers employing their partners, and also forbids the partners of ministers being employed in other offices without “the prime minister’s express approval”.

Marriage ends

Joyce’s wife of 24 years, Natalie, made it clear last week their marriage had ended because her husband had been involved in a long-term relationship with Campion, a former member of his staff, who is pregnant with his child.

Questions were then raised about whether Campion should have been employed by the resources minister, Matt Canavan, when she departed Joyce’s staff in 2017, or served on the staff of Drum, then the National party whip, given her intimate relationship with the deputy prime minister.

Yesterday, before question time, Turnbull’s office said the prime minister was unaware of the relationship between Joyce and Campion.