Barnaby Joyce snaps at a photographer outside an Armidale church and posts footage online
BARNABY Joyce has been involved in an argument with a photographer, who accused the former deputy PM of threatening to punch him, after a bizarre run-in outside a church. Now the former Nationals leader has broken his silence over what happened the moment he snapped.
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EMBATTLED former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has been involved in an angry argument with a photographer after a bizarre run-in outside a church in Armidale.
Photographer Guy Finlay, a veteran member of Australia’s paparazzi, claims the Nationals MP looked as if he would “clock” him during a tense confrontation yesterday, a claim Mr Joyce denies.
Mr Finlay, who is employed by Matrix Picture Agency, said Mr Joyce chased him after the MP spotted him taking photographs as he left Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral in Armidale alongside partner Vikki Campion and their son Sebastian.
“Once they spotted me from across the road he chased after me and shaped to clock me,” Mr Finlay said.
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“I couldn’t believe he’d behave that way. He was the deputy prime minister of this country. I couldn’t believe how red and angry he was.”
Speaking on Sunrise this morning, Mr Joyce addressed the extraordinary Twitter footage he posted of an altercation with a photographer, who accused the embattled former deputy prime minister of threatening to punch him.
“I didn’t (threaten him),” said Mr Joyce. “He knows that, and all the people standing around knew that.
“We had a person who didn’t identify themselves, who was hiding among the trees — it was an issue for Vikki, it was an issue for Sebastian.
“If someone was hiding outside your grandkid’s house, wouldn’t you go up and say g’day to them?”
He said private individuals “deserve a greater protection so that they can live their lives … and not be harassed over a long period of time”.
“You can’t use defamation, you can’t go to the Press Council, none of these things have any effect. The only effect that we’ve got is what I’m doing now — trying to raise the issue.
“I expect to be papped and interviewed, but private individuals — kids especially — don’t have protections there. These people have the capacity to destroy people’s lives.”
When asked whether this was a double standard, he said: “If we had a proper tort of privacy, that would protect people going up to clinics, absolutely. It would be much better protection.”
The former Nationals leader posted footage on Twitter of his meltdown which shows him repeatedly berating Mr Finlay and demanding to know his name and employer.
Mr Joyce posted one video with the caption: “We did the Sunday program to stop this, this is why we need a tort of privacy”.
Mr Joyce was lampooned on social media in response to the videos with many accusing him of hypocrisy after he last week condemned legislation which stops women being harassed outside abortion clinics.
“Why do you keep following us around with your camera? Who do you work for?” Mr Joyce said.
Mr Finlay replied: “How can you seriously come out of church and size someone up to punch them?”
Mr Joyce responded: “I didn’t size you up to punch you.”
Mr Finlay said: “Yes you did, you pulled your right hand back and if I hadn’t actually walked away you would have clubbed me. Go back to your regular job as a bouncer.”
Mr Joyce is currently on medical leave in the wake of public backlash over his controversial paid television interview with Ms Campion.
He has defended the interview, saying the $150,000 is going into a trust fund Sebastian.
One Coalition MP yesterday said it “must be tough” to be followed around by the media but Mr Joyce needed to show better judgment and walk away.
“This just shows that he is really feeling the pressure. There is no way he could have kept being deputy prime minister of the country,” the MP said.
