Barnaby Joyce, Vikki Campion interview: abortion was considered

Vikki Campion says “people within parliament’’ tried to force her to have an abortion as she and Barnaby Joyce attack the PM.

The woman at the centre of one of Australia’s most notorious political sex scandals claimed “people within the parliament” tried to pressure her to have an ­abortion to save her career and that of the former deputy prime minister.

The astonishing claim came during the Seven Network’s paid interview with former National Party media adviser Vikki Campion, and her lover, Barnaby Joyce, who backed her claims.

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“They came to me, they said, ‘uh, you’re pregnant and you have to get an abortion’, and I said, ‘it’s too late, it has a heartbeat’, and they said, ‘if you don’t, they’re going to come after you’,” Ms Campion said. Mr Joyce said: “And they did.”

She also revealed that she ­earlier purchased medication to terminate the pregnancy.

“I agonised,” she said. “I bought the medicine online. You can’t do it in the ACT. I drove ­interstate. I walked in. And then I walked out again.”

Mr Joyce, who conceded that he is the father of the child, Sebastian, who was born six weeks ago, said: “I’ll be really frank, I don’t believe in abortion. I just knew straight away, I was going to lose my job as the deputy prime ­minister.”

Ms Campion said: “I believe that a woman has a right over her own body. I thought, maybe I should just take matters into my own hands by considering an abortion. And I tried, and I couldn’t go through with that.”

Ms Campion said “people who are supposed to be conservatives” later suggested she have an abortion, but she refused to name them. “I wouldn’t want to tar and brush everyone in the National Party,” she said,

Mr Joyce said the interference was “dark and insidious” and “they were going to try to make an incredibly difficult” situation worse by saying “you will do this if you want a career in this place”.

Vikki Campion and Barnaby Joyce with their baby Sebastian during the Sunday Night interview. Picture: Channel 7

Mr Joyce said the people who pressured Ms Campion for an abortion were “the absolute scum of the earth you involve yourself with” in the “mad boarding house” of parliament.

Mr Joyce added that “I couldn’t give a shit about the political ramifications,” but said he ­regretted hurting his wife, Natalie Joyce, and their four daughters, who were blindsided by news of the ­affair.

The couple lashed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for his furious response to the adultery, which resulted in a notorious “bonk ban” designed to deter ministers from having sex with staff.

“I never expected a gold star and I did not expect the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia to go and do a doorstop (press conference) on it. That was wrong,” Mr Joyce said, while Ms Campion said she would have expected Mr Turnbull to address the matter “off the field”.

Mr Joyce, who is currently on personal leave, hinted at a political comeback, saying he couldn’t see how “being human” disqualified him from being deputy prime minister.

Having previously asked the media to respect their privacy, the couple granted the “explosive interview” to the Seven Network’s Sunday Night program, for which they were paid $150,000.

Alex Cullen with Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion. Picture: Channel 7

In acknowledging his adultery, Mr Joyce said: “Show me a person who’s had a perfect marriage and I’ll show you a perfect liar.” He agreed that he was “living a lie” towards the end of his marriage.

“The fault is mine,” said Mr Joyce. “I don’t like them looking at you (Vikki) saying ‘oh, scarlet woman’. That’s bullshit … I’m the adult here.” Ms Campion interjected: “I’m an adult, too.”

Ms Campion apologised “to every innocent party that was dragged through this”, claiming she could not help falling in love with Mr Joyce.

“I’m really sorry but you can’t help, really, I couldn’t help it,” she said. “You can’t help who you fall in love with.”

Ms Campion said they took money because “everyone else is making money out of Sebastian, except for Sebastian, everyone else is making money except for him”. She said “not a cent” would go directly to the couple, but would be kept in trust “for a young bloke called Sebastian Joyce”.

Barnaby Joyce with son Sebastian in his office. Picture: Channel 7