Barnaby Joyce humiliated as MPs face sex ban

Malcolm Turnbull has launched an extraordinary assault on Barnaby Joyce, calling on him to ‘consider his own position’.

The Prime Minister and other ministers including Christopher Pyne console Barnaby Joyce yesterday in parliament. Picture: Kym Smith

Malcolm Turnbull has launched an extraordinary assault on Barnaby Joyce, calling on his deputy to “consider his own position” and setting up a damaging showdown between the Liberals and Nationals after declaring an immediate ban on sex between ministers and staffers.

In a scathing assessment of Mr Joyce’s character following his ­affair with former staffer Vikki Campion, the Prime Minister ­described his actions as “appalling” and a “shocking error of judgment”.

Mr Turnbull, who made a “captain’s call” on the sex ban after consulting with his leadership team yesterday morning, tried to seize control of the political scandal following a nightmare day in parliament, publicly admonishing Mr Joyce for humiliating his wife, Natalie, and their children.

Nationals MPs last night warned Mr Turnbull against trying to “blast out” Mr Joyce, 50, over the affair with Ms Campion, 32, who is pregnant with Mr Joyce’s child, warning him not to meddle with the party leadership.

Mr Turnbull’s unprecedented intervention has sparked anger inside Nationals ranks, with members saying the Prime Minister has crossed a line in passing such a severe judgment on Mr Joyce’s family life.

NSW Nationals senator and close colleague of Mr Joyce John Williams said the public dressing down was “too much”. “To give the Deputy Prime Minister a personal bucketing in front of the media doesn’t help heal the wounds,” he said. “When it comes to the leadership of the Nationals, we’ll determine our destination — not the Liberal Party.”

The Australian understands Mr Joyce spoke with Mr Turnbull, who travelled to Tasmania last night, following the Prime Minister’s public statement banning sex between ministers and staffers.

 

Government MPs who sided with Mr Turnbull said he was forced to intervene following a public backlash against Mr Joyce’s handling of the love-child scandal, and an impression that senior ministers were running a “protection racket” for the Nationals leader.

The Australian can reveal the prohibition on sexual relations ­between ministers and their staff was discussed over the past week by the government’s leadership group, including Mr Turnbull and Mr Joyce, as well as Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie, government Senate leader ­Mathias Cormann and leader of the house, Christopher Pyne.

The announcement of the US-style sex ban by Mr Turnbull followed another turbulent day in parliament after new questions emerged over government payments of $5000 to a hotel owned by businessman Greg Maguire, who gave Mr Joyce six months rent-free accommodation in an Armidale townhouse after his marriage break-up.

“We know that the real issue is the terrible hurt and humiliation that Barnaby by his conduct, has visited on his wife, Natalie, and their daughters, and indeed, his new partner,” Mr Turnbull said.

“Barnaby knows he made that shocking error of judgment in having an affair with a young woman working in his office.

“In doing so, he has set off a world of woe for those women, and appalled all of us.”

Asked whether he would ask Mr Joyce to resign, Mr Turnbull said: “He has to consider his own position, obviously.”

“These are matters for Barnaby Joyce to reflect on. He has made a very grave error of judgment.”

Mr Turnbull, who 48 hours ­earlier had endorsed Mr Joyce to act as prime minister while he travelled to the US next week, yesterday confirmed he had encouraged Mr Joyce to take personal leave, leaving Senator Cormann to fill the role.

In implementing the sex ban, which was understood to be backed by some senior conservative ministers, Mr Turnbull backflipped on comments he made last week dismissing a similar proposal that won support in the US.

“Adults can conduct their ­relationships, if it’s consensual, ­respectful, that’s their right. But all of us have to be accountable for how we live our lives,” Mr Turnbull said last Friday.

Mr Turnbull yesterday said the ban would be immediately implemented after updating ministerial standards guidelines. It will apply only to government ministers and assistant ministers but not to shadow ministers or backbenchers.

“This is the standard that I will hold, from this day forth, all of my ministers to,” he said.

“I am not here to moralise, but we must recognise that whatever may have been acceptable, or to which a blind eye was turned in the past, today in 2018, it is not acceptable for a minister to have a sexual relationship with somebody who works for them.

“It is a very bad workplace practice. Everybody knows that no good comes of it.

“Of course, you know what attitudes in the corporate world and elsewhere are, to this kind of thing. It is about time that this change was made … probably should have been made a long time ago.”

Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus stopped short of backing the government ban and warned there was a “real difficulty in legislating for personal ­relations.”

Bill Shorten yesterday escalated his attack against Mr Joyce and the government, demanding Mr Turnbull intervene to sack the Deputy Prime Minister for what he argued was a breach of the ministerial standards after The Weekend Australian quoted Mr Maguire saying he was initially approached by Mr Joyce because he was looking for a place to stay after the breakup of his 24-year marriage.

“I don’t think Mr Joyce’s position is tenable. I think that Prime Minister Turnbull has to act,” Mr Shorten said.

“It’s not about Barnaby Joyce’s personal life, it’s about the integrity of the government.

“It’s about whether or not there are ministerial standards and I think every day that goes on, the parliament of Australia is turning into a circus.”

The relationship between Mr Joyce and his “close friend” Mr Maguire became the subject of ­intense scrutiny in parliament when Mr Joyce contradicted his mate, saying he never asked for the home or the rent-free deal.

The Senate also passed a ­motion late yesterday calling on Mr Joyce to resign as Deputy Prime Minister. The motion passed in the Senate, by 35 votes to 29, and called on the Nationals to sack Mr Joyce as leader if he would not ­resign.

A spokesman for Mr Joyce said the Nationals leader had decided to take leave next week to “support his family and partner after such intense public focus on personal matters”.