Joyce accuser Catherine Marriott ‘thought twice’ about confronting media at CEDA

The woman who accused Barnaby Joyce of sexual harassment feared being confronted by media about the allegations.

Catherine Marriott, in Canberra yesterday, accused Barnaby Joyce, right, of sexual harassment. Picture: Kym Smith

A former West Australian Rural Woman of the Year who ­accused Barnaby Joyce of sexual harassment says she thought twice about appearing at a conference in Canberra yesterday because she feared being confronted by media about the investigation into the former Nationals leader.

Catherine Marriott, a Broome councillor, yesterday declined to comment about allegations of sexual harassment that she lodged against Mr Joyce in February before he resigned as deputy prime minister and from cabinet.

Ms Marriott appeared on a panel at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia conference yesterday, urging business and governments to ­embrace the “world of economic opportunity” in regional Australia, and criticising the short-sightedness of those calling for a ban on live-sheep exports.

Barnaby Joyce. Picture: Hollie Adams

Ms Marriott, the founding chief executive of the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association, declined The Australian’s request for comment about the allegation.

“I know what’s coming, and the answer is no comment,” she said. “I know you have to ask me, but I’m not commenting. I haven’t commented to a journo yet and I’m not about to …

“ I’m in a shit situation and I’m working my way through it, but I’m not going to comment on it, because it’ll just be what it is.”

She said she had hesitated before deciding to speak at the conference.

“Literally I was like, ‘do I want to go to Canberra and put myself in front of journalists?’” she said.

This month the Nationals revealed the party would not release the outcome of the investigation into the claim of “sexual harassment and-or misconduct” by Mr Joyce outside Canberra’s Kurrajong Hotel in August last year.

Mr Joyce, who returned to the backbench following scandals sparked by his affair with former staffer Vikki Campion, has called for the Nationals probe to be wound up, describing the ­allegations as “spurious and ­defamatory”.

Ms Marriott lodged the complaint confidentially with the federal Nationals on February 20, who referred it to the NSW division on March 3. In a statement through her lawyer after the complaint was made public, Ms Marriott said she wanted to “speak up against inappropriate behaviour by people in powerful positions”.