Miranda Live: ‘Don’t kick a dog when it’s down’, Senator Lucy Gichuhi on Barnaby Joyce

THE Liberal party’s newest Senator has declared she’s disappointed in the unfolding Barnaby Joyce scandal, but has warned against throwing stones at the Nationals Leader, saying “don’t kick a dog when it’s down”.

Senator Lucy Gichuhi at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

THE Liberal party’s newest Senator has declared she’s disappointed in the unfolding Barnaby Joyce scandal, but has warned against throwing stones at the Nationals Leader, saying “don’t kick a dog when it’s down”.

Senator Lucy Gichuhi, who earlier this month defected to the Liberals from the crossbench, sat down with Miranda Devine on the Daily Telegraph’s Miranda Live online radio show.

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A former Family First senator, Ms Gichuhi’s switch to the Liberals has boosted the government’s hold in the Senate to a 30 seat voting bloc.

When pressed on the allegations of infidelity surrounding the Deputy PM, the new senator told Devine she’d “hope and pray for the Joyce family”.

“As (politicians) we try for the best values in our personal life, but everyone does go through a rough patch,” she said.

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce. Picture: Kym Smith

Liberal Senator Lucy Gichuhi says “don’t kick a dog when it’s down”. Picture: AAP

“But when someone’s down, I say ‘don’t kick a dog when it’s down’.”

It emerged today a portion of the Nationals want Mr Joyce to resign as leader as more details of his affair with former media adviser Vikki Campion emerge.

Today, The Daily Telegraph reported a woman had accused the Nats Leader of drunkenly pinched her on the bottom following a 2011 awards ceremony.

Mr Joyce had denied the allegation.

New Liberal recruit Ms Gichuhi told Devine she was happy to defect to the government party, because it reflected her values.

Mr Joyce is coming under increasing fire. Picture: Kym Smith

“I realised as soon as I did my maiden speech my values were most aligned to the Liberals, I must say I liked Robert Menzies, his policies were very applicable ... even today,” she said on Miranda Live.

The Kenyan-born senator said she hopes to attract more “new Australians” to the Liberal party.

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