Barnaby Joyce urges minister behind leaked text calling Scott Morrison a psycho to own up to it

Barnaby Joyce has demanded the federal cabinet minister who leaked texts with Gladys Berejiklian slamming the PM as ‘psycho’ to come clean.

Barnaby Joyce has demanded that the serving cabinet minister alleged to have called Scott Morrison “a complete psycho” in text messages “out themselves”.

The Deputy Prime Minister issued the demand at a press conference in Tamworth today briefly sparking wild speculation that the MP who also called the Prime Minister “a fraud” was a woman.

Mr Joyce speculated that “3000 people know who this is’’, referring to a supposed minister who shared in the text exchange with former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.

“I would suggest that if you know anything about this don’t wait to be outed, out yourself,” Mr Joyce said.

“And give an explanation.

“Maybe it was a bad day in the office, I don’t know. That’s a better way to do it.”

After the local newspaper suggested the leaker was a woman, Mr Joyce told news.com.au he had not been using “any gender specific term.”

“No, I am not and it’s giving me the screaming sh*t’s,’’ he said.

“I would not have a clue who it is. No. I am down talking to a lady about platypus in the river and now every journalist in Australia is calling. I didn’t say it was a woman at all. It’s like cricket mate, “she’s out.”

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - January 19, 2022. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce speaks during press conference in Brisbane regarding new measures aimed at improving Brisbane Airport noise issues. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Earlier today, Channel 10 political editor Peter van Onselen said there is a “deal done” that means he won’t reveal the identity of the alleged minister behind the leaked texts.

The journalist who confronted the Prime Minister with the leaked text messages between NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and an unnamed Minister has remained coy until now on whether the MP was a federal or state Minister.

But after NSW Treasurer Matt Kean insisted today he wasn’t the source of the leak, van Onselen went on radio to point the finger at a federal frontbencher.

He also revealed the text exchange involved “old messages” including during the bushfires that the journalist has been in possession of for months.

Asked, “Who was the Minister?” Van Onselen revealed he couldn’t say because the cabinet minister was “the source” who leaked the messages.

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Channel 10 political editor Peter van Onselen says there is a “deal done” to protect the identity of the serving Minister in Morrison’s own cabinet that called the PM a “complete psycho” in leaked texts (Photo by Rohan Thomson/Getty Images)

”I can’t say and the reason is quite simple. I know a lot of people want to hear it because they think it’s unfair to Gladys Berejiklian because she has been named,’’ he said.

”It’s as simple as this. The Minister is the source. I didn’t get these from a third party. I’ve got the screenshots. As a consequence, the deal done is that I wouldn’t out the Minister.”

Ms Berejiklian issued a statement this week insisting she “did not recall” sending the messages calling the Prime Minister “a horrible person” or receiving the messages calling him a complete psycho.

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean – a close political ally of Ms Berejiklian – was forced to deny that he leaked the messages to van Onselen on Sydney radio.

”Was it you?’ 2GB host Ben Fordham asked Mr Kean on Wednesday morning.

”I played no part in the ambush on the Prime Minister. It was not me,’ he responded.

When asked again if he was the source of the messages or a middle man to the leak, he said: “I don’t believe so.”

Van Onselen was also at pains to make sure it was clear the leaker was a “serving” cabinet minister, to avoid any suggestion the source was “his friend” Christian Porter.

Former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian issued a statement this week insisting she “did not recall” sending the messages calling the Prime Minister “a horrible person”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“Yes. A current Minister. That’s the only thing that I clarify. I didn’t want people to think it was a former Minister. I’m well known to be friends with one former Minister, I didn’t want people to think it was that person. (They are) a current serving cabinet minister,’’ he said.

“They are old text messages from quite some time ago.”

Van Onselen was then asked: “Why reveal it yesterday?”.

“I had to verify it and be able to use it,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison hit back at Ten News political editor Peter van Onselen on Wednesday suggesting he was “facing his own questions.”

“There is still someone out there trying to do you in,’ Today host Allison Langdon said. “It doesn’t get a greater betrayal than that, does it?”

“The journalist who raised it is facing his own questions,’ Mr Morrison replied. “There were no details or context behind it and it was done for sensationalist purposes.”

Mr Morrison’s comments were a clear reference to van Onselen being named in a federal court case brought by his ex-Ten colleague Tegan George which claims he treated her in a way that was “humiliating” and “belittling.”

Van Onselen has been named in a federal court case brought by his ex-Ten colleague Tegan George which claims he treated her in a way that was “humiliating”. Picture: Network 10

George’s lawyers are alleging Network 10 engaged in unlawful conduct and breached the Fair Work Act.

Van Onselen was confronted live on air in two interviews on Wednesday over the unrelated statement of claim that’s been filed against Channel 10 in the Federal Court.

”I can’t talk about that as much as I would love to because it is not public, the statement has been leaked,’’ van Onselen said.

”I’m looking forward to Channel 10 defending it, which they are doing. When the process plays out, I’ll be able to respond to it all through Channel 10, but I just can’t talk about it now because it’s a court proceeding.”

He was also asked on ABC radio Melbourne today by Virginia Trioli: “If the PM has a woman problem, do you as well?”

“One of the complaints is that I didn’t tolerate a, if you like, non co-operation with an incident that involved alleged sexual harassment in the office,’’ van Onselen said.

”So there was an alleged witnessing of sexual harassment in the office according to the complaint which I wanted to be dealt with and handled. I was, if you like, demanding that (something) happen about that, which would suggest the exact opposite to this notion that I’ve got a woman problem.”