Jeff Kennett: Barnaby Joyce must take a hit for the team

BARNABY Joyce is part of a team, which means putting the party before himself. So he must take responsibility for his actions and go to the back bench, writes Jeff Kennett.

BARNABY Joyce’s troubles are of his own making but I won’t judge his new relationship. The breakdown of established partnerships is not new — people often find a relationship has run out of steam and it is very sad for those left behind.

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In Joyce’s case, I think it is also sad for his new partner, Vikki Campion, who is being subjected to a great deal of unwanted attention as she prepares for the birth of their child.

But everything we say or do has consequences, good and bad.

Joyce’s political survival is not in doubt because of a failed marriage or a new relationship with a former staff member. Many relationships start in the workplace.

He is in trouble because of the comments he made in public last year which were in conflict with the life he was living at the time.

Secondly, the matter of whether public money was used to support his new relationship must be settled.

And thirdly, there is the claim that he lived rent-free in a friend’s house and public money was used to upgrade security at the property.

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Barnaby Joyce is in trouble because the comments he made in public last year were in conflict with the life he was living at the time. Picture: Gary Ramage

I have no idea about the factual accuracy of the last two points, but Joyce has not refuted them.

Either way, the perception has been for some time that something about the issue is not right — and politics is all about perception.

The government started the year well, but Joyce’s situation is a serious distraction and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had no alternative than to appoint Mathias Cormann as Acting Prime Minister while he is in the United States.

If Joyce had not gone on leave and had acted as PM, it would have reduced the standing of the position.

In effect, he and the political class would have been giving the public a two-finger salute.

To date, Joyce has accepted no responsibility for his actions and for the damage it has done to the government’s team. As I have often said, teams deliver good outcomes, individuals do not.

But it seems Joyce has forgotten that.

When your back is against the wall, it is difficult to act rationally. Joyce could have minimised the damage by resigning as National Party leader, but continued as a minister when the issue became public.

He chose to fight, to the cost of his wife, his four daughters and his new partner.

There is no “I” in team but it seems to me that Joyce looked closely and found the word “me” and has acted accordingly.

It has all been about Joyce and not about the National Party and not about the government.

Vikki Campion is being subjected to a great deal of unwanted attention as she prepares for the birth of their child.

The reality is that Joyce has used up his political credits. He needs to step out of the spotlight and, if he wishes to stay in parliament, rebuild his political assets and reputation.

To paraphrase Gough Whitlam, God may well save the Prime Minister, but nothing will save Barnaby Joyce. He is an electoral liability to his party and his government. He must resign from the ministry, go to the back bench and rebuild.

MANY have done so in recent years, although under different circumstances. John Howard, Paul Keating, and even Kevin Rudd, although his return was disastrous.

Joyce is not the first minister to find himself in this position and, I suspect, will not be the last. Passion is a powerful emotion.

I had a senior minister in a similar position in 1995. He told me one night when parliament was sitting that this newspaper was about to expose, on its front page, the affair he was having with a staff member.

We talked through the issue in a mature way, a talk between two mates rather than premier and minister. In the end, he said he had no alternative but to resign.

I accepted his decision with regret, because he was a first-class minister and a major contributor to our reform program.

But the issue was done with in 24 hours and the government was not hurt because he accepted responsibility. My government went on to win the 1996 election comfortably.

Joyce needs to step out of the spotlight if he wishes to stay in parliament. Picture: Kym Smith

Right now, Joyce is putting “me” first and that is contributing to the government’s electoral challenges.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will introduce a new element into the Code of Ministerial Behaviour banning sexual relationships with staff. Good luck with that one!

It’s commendable, but the heart is a funny thing. That said, the PM has set the new rule and one should always remember political service is not compulsory. If you do not like the scrutiny that comes with being a politician, do something else. And if you want to remain a federal minister, accept the rules.

What I find so amazing about these circumstances is the hypocrisy of so many who are pursuing Joyce, many of whom, I’m sure, have fallen in love with a colleague and have gone on to enjoy many happy years of marriage.

But as I have said, Joyce’s issues are not the relationship itself, but with the questions connected to it.

The situation is of Joyce’s making and he must accept responsibility for his actions. The fault doesn’t lie with his party or his government.

Barnaby, you must take a hit for the team.

Have a good day.

Jeff Kennett is a former premier of Victoria

@jeff_kennett