Labor blasts Barnaby Joyce’s appointment to women’s taskforce as a ‘terrible joke’

Barnaby Joyce’s appointment to a taskforce aimed at improving the treatment of women has been blasted as a ‘terrible joke’.

Barnaby Joyce’s appointment to a taskforce aimed at improving the treatment of women has been labelled a “terrible joke” by Labor, after objections from female Nationals MPs over his return as Deputy Prime Minister.

Michael McCormack, ousted in a leadership coup on Monday, had been a member of a new taskforce focused on women and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham on Thursday confirmed Mr Joyce would replace him.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in March formed the group during the fallout from a series of allegations over the mistreatment of women in parliament, ranging from sexual harassment to rape.

Mr Joyce resigned as Deputy Prime Minister in 2018 after revelations he was expecting a child with a staffer as a result of an extramarital affair, and as he faced his own sexual harassment allegation.

He denied the allegation and a review by the Nationals was inconclusive.

RELATED: Barnaby Joyce briefly faced with the prospect of opposing own party or resigning as Deputy PM

Barnaby Joyce has been added to the cabinet women’s taskforce. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Labor senator Kristina Keneally lashed Mr Joyce’s appointment, saying it was “hard to believe” a man with his history had been elevated to the role.

“This is a terrible joke Mr Morrison is playing on Australian women,” she told NCA NewsWire.

“No wonder thousands of women marched on parliament to say enough is enough. Mr Morrison didn’t even have the decency to come out and meet them.

“He didn’t get it then and, if Mr Morrison appoints Barnaby Joyce to the women’s taskforce, he still doesn’t get it.”

Labor in question time on Thursday pressed Mr Joyce on his capacity to work with women given his chequered past.

“Every person tries to be a better person and I am no different,” he replied.

NCA NewsWire has contacted the Prime Minister’s office for comment.

Kristina Keneally described the appointment as a ‘terrible joke’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Mr Joyce has also headlined anti-abortion rallies and in 2019 voiced an unsolicited robocall urging NSW residents to oppose the state’s move to decriminalise abortion.

Before the leadership ballot, Nationals MP Michelle Landry warned Mr Joyce’s return to the leadership could alienate women, both within and outside the party.

“I think that if he became leader again, there would be women out there that would be unhappy with that,’’ she told news.com.au.

“It’s destabilising for everybody. Obviously, there was a lot of feedback last time. I think he would have to tread carefully if he became leader again because there were women that weren’t happy.”

The new Deputy Prime Minister has headlined anti-abortion rallies. Picture: David Swift

BREAKING: @birmo confirms in response to @jennymcallister in Senate #QT -@Barnaby_Joyce will replace @M_McCormackMP on the Cabinet Taskforce on the Status of Women

Yes, you read that correctly

Barnaby Joyce will be on the Morrison Govt’s Status of Women Taskforce

Seriously

— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) June 24, 2021

WA Nationals leader Mia Davies, who demanded Mr Joyce resign in 2018, on Monday said she was “disappointed” by his return and it was “now up to (him) to rebuild that trust”.

“There will no doubt be some questions asked and I think the federal party will need to be able to answer that,” she said.

Revelations Mr Joyce was expecting a child with former Nationals staffer Vicki Campion prompted then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to institute a so-called “bonk ban”, barring ministers from having sex with staffers.

Mr Turnbull publicly lashed Mr Joyce for his “shocking error of judgment” which he said had “set off a world of woe for those women and appalled all of us”.

Mr Joyce described the comments as “inept” and said they caused further harm.

Mr Joyce now has two children with Ms Campion, who was present at his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.