Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull rejects calls for MP sex ban in wake of Barnaby Joyce affair
MALCOLM Turnbull has been asked at a heated press conference whether he personally counselled Barnaby Joyce to remove the staff member he was having an affair with from his office.
National
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MALCOLM Turnbull has been grilled over whether he personally counselled Barnaby Joyce to remove a staff member that he was having an affair with from his office.
It comes after The Daily Telegraph reported today Mr Joyce’s former staffer Vikki Campion, who is expecting a baby with the Deputy Prime Minister in April, was promoted to a new, higher-paid role created for her in another minister’s office when their relationship caused dysfunction in the team.
Mr Turnbull responded to the grilling, saying the journalist was “rushing to facts and assertions” and reiterated that he did not wish to add to the public discussion on what was a “deeply personal matter”.
Pushed further on whether he had assured himself that no public money had been misspent as a favour to Ms Campion, who was understood to be in a relationship with the Deputy Prime Minister at the time, Mr Turnbull said: “I am not aware of any inappropriate expenditure of public funds.”
Earlier today, in his first public comments on the affair, the Prime Minister said he and wife Lucy were “very conscious” of the hurt Mr Joyce’s wife, Natalie, and their daughters had suffered and did not want to contribute to discussion about the matter.
“These private matters are always very distressing for those involved,” Mr Turnbull said.
“I don’t want to add to the public discussion about it.
“I’m very conscious of the distress this causes to others, in particular Natalie Joyce and her and Barnaby’s daughters.”
But when asked about a proposed ban on relationships between MPs and their staff, Mr Turnbull said: “Adults, particularly elected officials, members of parliament, ministers all have to be accountable for actions.”
“As grown-ups, we are all accountable for our actions,” he said.
“Relations between consenting adults is not something that normally, you would be justified in, if you like, seeking to regulate.”
Independent MP Cathy McGowan started the conversation about a potential ban yesterday, ahead of potentially introducing a motion in Parliament on the matter.
It comes after the US House of Representatives on Tuesday introduced a landmark ban on any members of the House having relationships with their employees.
“There is a belief the Parliament is behind community expectations and corporate practice,” Ms McGowan said.
“The Parliament is a place of work, and good workplace practice includes clear expectations about behaviour.”
Mr Turnbull added this morning that Mr Joyce had been accountable and “very upfront” about the relationship, through appearing on the ABC’s 7.30.
Mr Joyce appeared on the program after The Daily Telegraph revealed on Monday he had moved in with Ms Campion and the couple were expecting a baby in April.
He did not directly answer questions about the relationship with Ms Campion but said his private life should be allowed to remain private.
Mr Joyce said he regretted the breakdown of his marriage, calling it one of his biggest failures.
Mr Turnbull told reporters at Parliament House this morning: “Adults can conduct their relationships, if it’s consensual, respectful, that’s their right, but all of us have to be accountable for how we live our lives, and of course Barnaby has been accountable.”
“You’ve seen him there on the 7.30 report. He has been very upfront about it,” he said.
“But it is a tough and distressing episode and I am very conscious, Luce [Lucy Turnbull] and I are very conscious of the hurt occasioned to Natalie and their daughters in particular, so that’s why I don’t want to ... contribute to the discussion about it.”
Meanwhile, senior ministers Christopher Pyne and Mathias Cormann have also dodged questions on whether Ms Campion was given a role within Resources Minister Matt Canavan’s office that was created for her.
Mr Pyne told Channel Seven’s Sunrise program that he did not know if the reports were true.
“Really, that’s a matter that Matt Canavan should answer, not me. It is not my call,” he told the program.
Mr Pyne added: “I think it’s highly unlikely anything untoward occurred.”
“I’m sure it was all entirely appropriate, but again, that’s a matter that Matt Canavan needs to respond to, not me.”
Senator Cormann told Sky News it was a matter for Senator Canavan to respond to.
A spokeswoman for Senator Canavan said: “Ms Campion was employed in Senator Canavan’s office in April 2017 to fulfil a specific communications role.”
“Ms Campion was suitably qualified for this role given her long history as a media professional,” she said.
“Ms Campion worked in Senator Canavan’s office up until all staff had their existing contracts terminated when Senator Canavan resigned from Cabinet in July 2017.”