Joyce on the ropes after ‘big mistake’ as Nationals MPs say behaviour hurts Coalition

Barnaby Joyce’s late-night antics will drag down support for the Coalition among women, Nationals frontbencher Anne Webster has warned, while former party leader Michael McCormack has urged Joyce to open up about his medical condition and seek the help he needs.

Joyce was filmed last Wednesday lying on his back on a Canberra street swearing on the telephone after a long parliamentary sitting day, triggering discussion in a closed-door private meeting of Nationals MPs in Canberra on Monday about the MP’s future after the latest in a long string of incidents in his political career where his behaviour has been called into question.

Barnaby Joyce during question time on Monday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Webster told colleagues she believed that Joyce had harmed the party’s standing in the electorate, particularly among female voters, fuelling existing tensions within the junior Coalition partner over how to deal with Joyce’s actions.

Joyce, who missed the meeting of Nationals MPs on Monday morning and arrived in parliament halfway through question time, was due to meet party leader David Littleproud on Monday evening to discuss the incident.

Webster noted the Coalition’s “woman problem” was highlighted at the last election and argued Joyce’s presence would only do more damage, according to three Nationals MPs speaking on background to recall confidential talks.

Webster is the opposition assistant spokeswoman for regional development and regional health and an ally of Littleproud, whose leadership has been under pressure from Joyce-aligned conservatives.

An image from video footage of Barnaby Joyce on the footpath in Braddon, Canberra on Wednesday.Credit: Nine

After the meeting McCormack, who was rolled as leader of the Nationals in June 2021, said Joyce needed to address the issue.

“If it is something other than just a night out, then maybe he needs to discuss that, because otherwise the allegations and innuendo just go on and on. But that’s up to Barnaby,” he said.

“If it is something other than just tripping over a planter box, we need to provide the support necessary for him and make sure he is ok.”

In a 90-second statement to parliament, Labor backbencher Tania Lawrence compared Joyce to Barry Humphries’ disreputable character Sir Les Patterson, although she did not name the MP.

“Every member of this place stands here as a community leader and leadership casts a long shadow, so what kind of leaders do our communities expect us to be?” Lawrence said. “Do they want serious, responsible people who respect the importance of the laws before us, or do they want larrikin, living, breathing caricatures of Sir Les Patterson?”

Earlier on Monday, before travelling to Canberra after a medical appointment in his electorate, Joyce admitted he had made a “big mistake” by drinking while taking medication but stopped short of revealing further details.

“Obviously, I made a big mistake, there’s no excuse for it … it was a very eventful walk home, wasn’t it?” he told Seven’s Sunrise.

“I’m on a prescription drug, and they say certain things may happen if you … drink, and they were absolutely, 100 per cent right.”

Witnesses have said Joyce was seen at two functions at Parliament House last Wednesday night before the incident. The Australian Hotels Association confirmed it had held an event on that evening between 6pm and 7.30pm but would not say who attended.

Several other Nationals MPs, who asked not to be named, said the colourful MP’s frontbench spot as Coalition spokesman on veterans’ affairs was not at risk, although Littleproud may need to drop one of his MPs from the shadow cabinet. Demotion to the backbench would reduce Joyce’s salary by $56,000 to $225,000 a year.

Littleproud raised the Joyce matter in his opening speech to his party room, emphasising the need to take care of Joyce as he dealt with the fallout.

The party is split between those who believe Joyce’s actions harmed nobody and others, mostly Littleproud supporters, who would like to see the maverick MP demoted from the frontbench.

Labor ministers gave muted reactions to Joyce’s conduct as Government Services Minister Bill Shorten said he would not join a “lynch mob” against Joyce, arguing the matter should not be made into a partisan political issue.

Nationals leader David Littleproud was to speak with Joyce on Monday afternoon.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“I think he needs support. That’s what he’s seeking,” Shorten told ABC Radio National on Monday.

Speaking in Canberra on Monday morning, Littleproud said he would have a conversation with the former Nationals leader about his position.

“I’ll have another conversation … but there’s personal circumstances I’m not going to go into that he shared with me and I need to respect that,” Littleproud said.

Littleproud refused to answer when asked if Joyce had a drinking problem.

“I don’t think I’ll make an assessment on anyone … about whether they have a drinking problem, particularly ones I don’t socialise with all the time,” Littleproud said.

Littleproud’s comments mirror Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie, who told Sky News on Monday the focus had to now be on getting Joyce to “tip-top condition as soon as possible”.

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