February 23, 2018
Member for New England Barnaby Joyce pulled the plug on his Cabinet career on Friday afternoon during a press conference in Armidale.
Just months after an overwhelming victory in a by-election for his seat, the former Kingaroy resident said he would resign his position as Deputy Prime Minister on Monday and head to the backbench.
The moves follows a media storm over the past two weeks after it was revealed Mr Joyce had left his wife to move in with a former staffer, Vikki Campion, who is pregnant with his child.
The pressure to quit intensified after the Murdoch press printed allegations by a West Australian woman that Mr Joyce had sexually harassed her.
Earlier on Friday, Acting Prime Minister Mathias Cormann described the latest allegation as “very serious” and said they needed to be investigated.
There will be a party room meeting in Canberra on Monday to allow National Party MPs to elect their new leader.
Names that have been mooted include Michael McCormack (NSW) and David Gillespie (NSW).
Footnote: Before he launched his political career, Mr Joyce lived for a while in Cowie Drive, Kingaroy, and played rugby union with the South Burnett Thrashers.
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On Friday afternoon, Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien paid tribute to Mr Joyce.
“Barnaby has been a very good Minister for Agriculture and a capable Minister for Infrastructure and Transport,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Barnaby visited Wide Bay a number of times during the last Federal Election campaign and in his time as Deputy Prime Minister.
“I have always found Barnaby to be incredibly supportive and to hold a great understanding of what the Wide Bay electorate needs, and I worked closely with him to secure funding for a number of projects.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the party’s new leader.”
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Agriculture Minister and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud echoed the praise for Mr Joyce.
“Barnaby Joyce has been the best Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister in living memory,” Mr Littleproud said.
“Mr Joyce led The Nationals into the 2016 election campaign, when the party took all before it, holding all its seats against the swing and gaining the extra seat of Murray.
“(He) has been one of the great communicators of our time.
“He fought for the people who live on dirt roads, the people in the brick and tile houses and for better opportunities for all.
“Mr Joyce has always been a powerful advocate for rural, regional and remote Australia and will continue to be.”
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Queensland Senator and Resources Minister Matt Canavan:
“Barnaby Joyce leaves as Nationals leader with a long list of accomplishments.
“As leader and before, he helped pull the Nationals back from the grave. Just a decade ago it was commonly accepted that the Nats would have to merge with the Libs to survive.
“Within a decade the Nats helped save a Coalition government from a first-term defeat, in part due to Barnaby’s strong leadership.
“Barnaby has more courage than most. He often took up arguments or causes that many seasoned politicians, or advisers, would caution as being ‘too courageous’. Barnaby often defied their warnings and proved that courage is an essential ingredient towards the recipe of success.
“He did so to protect the interests of working people and small businesses in the bush. People who did not have a voice and often worked with very little, asked for less and struggled through drought, flood and price changes.
“He fearlessly defended the wealth-producing industries of Australia, such as farming, mining, forestry, fishing and manufacturing.
“Our wealth-producing industries find themselves under a co-ordinated and undue attack by the many, who ironically owe their comfortable 21st century existence to the comparable few who work in the sun and subject their fortunes to the whims of international markets and finance.
“I am sure Barnaby will continue that fight, as will the Nationals party. Now more than ever there is a need for a party to fight for those who produce the wealth that maintains our prosperity and builds our future.
“It is true that I consider Barnaby a mate.
“None of my mates are perfect, nor am I. Barnaby has made mistakes but I am sure he will recover, learn and be a better person from them. He now has a new partner and a new child to care for and that is much more important than any of his achievements in public life.
“I also express my regret about the impact this has had on Natalie and Barnaby’s four daughters. They are a beautiful family. Nat is a remarkable woman of strength, character and good cheer. All of their girls are bright, vivacious and full of life. I am sure they will thrive beyond these difficult times.
“The Nationals party is at its strongest when we work together as a team. I look forward to our Nationals team continuing to fight and deliver for the people of regional and rural Australia.”
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