‘Men can’t stand me as well’: Barnaby Joyce on female voters

As Barnaby Joyce began a pre-election tour, one National MP acknowledged that it’s not always a “love-fest” between the deputy PM and regional women.

National Party leader Barnaby Joyce and Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster during a visit by Mr Joyce to Mildura on Friday January 21. Pictures: Else Kennedy

National party member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster has defended Barnaby Joyce as leader of the Nationals during his pre-election tour of her electorate, but acknowledges he may not be popular among regional women.

Mr Joyce visited Mildura, in Dr Webster’s seat of Mallee today in what he said was a pre-election tour, encompassing central Queensland, Shepparton in Nationals MP Damian Drum’s electorate of Nicholls and Mildura in Dr Webster’s electorate.

“There’s no favourite children’s list,” he said of the tour locations. “We’re all children of God and we’re going to fight for each one as best we can.”

Dr Webster won the seat of Mallee at the last election with less than 28 per cent of the primary vote.

She extended a “warm welcome” to Mr Joyce on his visit, in a change of tone from last year when she said some regional women would be “unimpressed” by Mr Joyce replacing Michael McCormack as leader of the Nationals.

“I’ve had people write to me about this of course and some would be very unimpressed,” Dr Webster said before the National Party leadership vote this year.

“They are issues for Barnaby Joyce should a change occur, that would be for him to sort through.”

National Party leader Barnaby Joyce and Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster at the Murray River today.

When asked by The Weekly Times whether anything had changed since she made those comments, Dr Webster acknowledged “you don’t always have a love-fest going on with every member of the constituency”.

But she backed Mr Joyce in his role.

“Mr Joyce is doing an excellent job as the DPM (deputy prime minister), and all other views need to reflect on that, because that’s the key job,” she said.

Standing beside Dr Webster, Mr Joyce said “I back that up, and can I add to that, there are some men who can’t stand me as well”.

Nationals MPs voted to reinstate Joyce as leader in June despite two female Nationals MPs – Michelle Landry and Anne Webster – raising concerns about how women would respond to him as leader.

Mr Joyce resigned in 2018 after former WA Rural Woman of the Year Catherine Marriott accused him of sexual harassment, and after an affair with his media adviser, now fiance, was made public.

Joyce has maintained the sexual harassment allegation was “spurious and defamatory”. An eight-month investigation by the NSW Nationals was unable to reach a conclusion.

A federal election is due to be held early this year. A date has not yet been set.