Barnaby Joyce: Wife wants Deputy PM to keep his job

NATALIE Joyce has made her first public appearance since news broke of her husband’s affair — and has made some surprising comments.

BARNABY Joyce’s wife has reportedly said she wants her husband to keep his job, despite the pain his affair has caused the family.

She made her first public appearance since news of the affair broke, attending a birthday party cruise for National Party donor Kirsty Berger on Saturday.

It was reported by the Daily Telegraph that Mrs Joyce told close friends she wanted to see the Deputy Prime Minister stay put.

Friends told the newspaper Mrs Joyce was reluctant to give a major media interview because she wanted him to maintain his position as leader of the National Party.

She was pictured at the party sipping pink champagne with political lobbyist Michael Kauter and his partner David Gracey.

Dressed in a navy ruffled dress, Mrs Joyce looked happy as she posed for photographs.

Mr Joyce has faced a tumultuous two weeks since news broke that his former media adviser turned girlfriend, Vikki Campion, was carrying his child.

The revelations saw Mr Joyce apologise to his wife, daughters and Ms Campion, but refuse to stand down over the saga.

Mrs Joyce previously told the Daily Telegraph of the “hurt” she suffered at learning about the affair and pregnancy.

Putting her own career on hold to support her husband, Mrs Joyce said her trust was shattered.

In a statement after the news broke she said she understood the affair had been going on for many months when Ms Campion was a paid employee.

“This situation is devastating on many fronts — for my girls who are affected by the family breakdown and for me as a wife of 24 years, who placed my own career­ on hold to support Barnaby through his political life,” she said.

Barnaby Joyce's wife Natalie Joyce pictured at her first public appearance with political lobbyist Michael Kauter. Picture: Instagram

Natalie Joyce is pictured during the cruise on Sydney Harbour. Picture: Instagram

David Gracey, Natalie Joyce and Michael Kauter. Picture: Facebook

Mrs Joyce’s apparent support for her husband comes as the National Party in Western Australia effectively told the Deputy PM to resign.

Mia Davies, the leader of the Nationals in WA said she had contacted Mr Joyce to tell him he was causing “ongoing damage” to the party.

She aksi said his and his position as Federal Leader was “no longer tenable”.

However Mr Joyce didn’t take the criticism lying down.

In a statement to Sky News, Mr Joyce pointed out WA didn’t have any federal MPs and the eastern states, which had more “skin in the game”, supported him.

In a separate interview a defiant Mr Joyce, who is currently on leave, insisted he isn’t going anywhere and will fight to stay put.

In an interview with Fairfax yesterday, the embattled Nationals leader hosed down a suggestion that a phone hook-up of Nationals Party officials on Monday meant anything since the “leader of the Nationals is decided by Nationals MPs”.

“I’ve been in heaps of fights in my political life, this is another one, in any person’s political career you aren’t created by the times in your favour, you’re tempered by the times of adversity. That’s how politics works — you rise to deal with it,” he said.

His comments come amid revelations that allies of Mr Joyce believe the Prime Minister’s office is working with journalists to leak information about him, further destabilising Mr Joyce’s position.

WAR OF WORDS

Mr Joyce’s affair prompted Mr Turnbull to rewrite the ministerial code of conduct, which covers the behaviour of senior government MPs, to include a clause banning sexual relations between ministers and their staff.

Mr Turnbull called the affair a “shocking error of judgment” causing “a world of woe” and refused to apologise or back down from his comments.

On Friday, Mr Joyce described Mr Turnbull’s comments on the affair as “inept” and “unnecessary” and accused him of attempting to interfere in the Nationals.

The two leaders held crisis talks over the weekend following Mr Joyce’s blistering attack on the PM who called the affair unhelpful and distracting.

Speaking on Sky News this morning, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said he wasn’t going to comment on matters that were on the front page of newspapers last week.

Senator Cormann said they were deeply personal matters and he feels not only for Mr Joyce but also for his family and his partner.

“Obviously it would have been a very difficult week for them, it was a distraction for the government that’s a matter of fact,” he said.

Mr Cormann said the government was now working on moving forward.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce pictured with his girlfriend and former staffer, Vikki Campion.

Natalie Joyce and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce are pictured with their daughters Odette, Caroline, Julia, Bridgette. Picture: Facebook

‘UNCERTAIN FUTURE’

Speculation continues to mount surrounding Mr Joyce’s future as it emerged Nationals leaders are continuing to weigh up his fate and a key leadership rival is refusing to offer him support.

Federal minister Michael McCormack dodged multiple questions about the Nationals leadership in an interview yesterday, refusing six times to support Mr Joyce as leader.

“There is no challenge at the moment ... he has the party’s support,” Mr McCormack told Sky News.

He also refused five opportunities to rule out a challenge at next Monday’s party room meeting.

“There is no spill, there is no vacancy at the moment,” Mr McCormack said.

When told it looked like he was refusing to support his leader, Mr McCormack eventually said: “Of course I support Barnaby Joyce, he’s our leader, he’s been a very good leader.”

Queensland Nationals MP Llew O’Brien said there were obviously people concerned about the crisis engulfing Mr Joyce, but just as many if not more were supportive of him.

Asked if there was any chance Mr Joyce would be rolled as Nationals leader, Mr O’Brien told ABC radio: “Twenty-four hours is a long time in politics. I don’t think there is.”

- with AAP