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Labor’s Joyce gag order angers female MPs

LABOR MPs were warned to go easy on embattled Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, angering senior women who say the “boys’ club is protecting male MPs.

It is understood Mr Joyce will wind back ministerial duties in April after the baby is born.
It is understood Mr Joyce will wind back ministerial duties in April after the baby is born.

LABOR MPs were warned to go easy on embattled Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, angering senior women who say the “boys’ club is protecting male MPs.

The gag, issued by manager of opposition business Tony Burke and enforced by party whips, has angered several MPs who wanted to call out Mr Joyce’s behaviour.

The day before news of the ­affair broke, members of the ­opposition could be heard yelling “Daddy” across the chamber at Mr Joyce. But on Wednesday Labor MPs who had previously gossiped about the affair fell quiet.

Mr Burke, whose own relationship with an ex-staffer has created headlines, warned Labor MPs not to heckle during Question Time, dir­ectly targeting the most rowdy MPs.

Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke told Labor MPs not to heckle Barnaby Joyce over revelations of his relationship with Vikki Campion.
Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke told Labor MPs not to heckle Barnaby Joyce over revelations of his relationship with Vikki Campion.

“It was bizarre,” one MP said. “We were told to go dead quiet.”

Several senior Labor women said the gag order was proof the “boys club” was still protecting men on all sides of politics.

“We were asked to be quiet ... people ­always think strategically,” one female MP said.

“But I don’t know whether this line will hold ... It’s about all men in this place.”

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Opposition leader Bill Shorten also tried to contact Mr Joyce on the night the news broke.

Nationals MPs are furious with Mr Joyce and questioning ­whether he will still be leader by the end of the year, especially if more revelations emerge.

One Nationals MP said his office had been inundated with calls and emails from voters, particularly women, demanding to know why he was sticking by Mr Joyce.

 Questions over employment of Deputy PM's partner

More details have emerged about the romance, including office tension during the six months the pair worked in the same office.

It is understood Mr Joyce’s then-chief of staff, Diana Hallam, gave Mr Joyce an ultimatum to move Ms Campion out of the ­office.

Government sources claim morale in Mr Joyce’s office further deteriorated when Ms Hallam requested Ms Campion hand over her phone and other devices.

In December 2016, Mr Joyce agreed for Ms Hallam to transfer Ms Campion to the office of Matt Canavan.

In early 2017, Ms Hallam took a hefty pay cut to take up a departmental role, triggering an unstable period in Mr Joyce’s office in which four chiefs-of-staff served over nine months.

It is understood Mr Joyce will wind back ministerial duties in April after the baby is born.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/labors-joyce-gag-order-angers-female-mps/news-story/bd990901878ba80186dee6cc022b48d6