Deputy PM says allegations ‘peddled by the bitterest of political enemies’ and that former staffer was not his partner when she worked in his office

Barnaby Joyce has denied he behaved inappropriately at a public function in 2011 and contends his former staffer Vikki Campion was not his partner when she worked in his ministerial office and in the office of the resources minister in 2017.



In a short verbal statement delivered to a handful of journalists on Tuesday morning, the deputy prime minister denied overnight reports of inappropriate behaviour at a function, which he said had been “peddled by the bitterest of political enemies to me”.

With pressure intensifying on Joyce and Labor declaring his position had become untenable, the deputy prime minister said there had been no breach of the ministerial code of conduct, which explicitly forbids ministers employing their partners and also forbids the partners of ministers being employed in other minister’s offices without “the prime minister’s express approval”, because Campion was not his partner until she worked for the then Nationals whip, Damian Drum, who was outside the executive.

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He apologised to his former wife of 24 years, and his four daughters, and to Campion, his former staffer and now pregnant partner, for causing them hurt.

Joyce also apologised to the voters of New England, who returned him to Canberra with a positive swing late last year. “I would like to also say to my supporters and people in my electorate how deeply sorry I am that this personal issue – deeply personal issue – has gone into the public arena”.

Two media outlets overnight reported that there were allegations Joyce behaved inappropriately at a rural women’s dinner in 2011. Stories about the function have circulated for months.

Guardian Australia has made efforts to verify the story, but no one has been prepared to speak on the record. A legal firm acting for one of the parties alleged to have been involved in the incident has characterised the allegations in circulation as “false and vexatious”, and on Monday signalled potential legal action.

Joyce on Tuesday categorically rejected the allegations. He also reserved his legal rights. He declined to take questions from journalists after delivering his verbal statement.

John Clements, a former political staffer to Tony Windsor, a political rival of Joyce’s, contacted Malcolm Turnbull’s senior adviser, Sally Cray, in 2015, to express concern about Joyce’s alleged behaviour at the function. The government says that report came years after the event and no formal complaint was made.

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It has been clear since the beginning of the week that the Liberals are not interested in providing any political cover for Joyce. In question time on Monday, the treasurer Scott Morrison made it clear that he believed Joyce was entirely responsible for the staffing decisions involving Campion.

One of his Nationals colleagues, John “Wacka” Williams, said publicly on Monday he didn’t know if Joyce would be able to tough out the controversy.

On Tuesday morning, the shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, declared Joyce’s position had become increasingly untenable, and he predicted the deputy prime minister would not make it to next week, when he is due to be acting prime minister while Turnbull is overseas.

Joyce argued on Tuesday morning there was no breach of the ministerial code of conduct because Campion was not his partner when she worked for him, or his colleague and close ally Matt Canavan.

Campion left Joyce’s office in April, before moving to Canavan’s office. She then ended up working for the then National party whip in a social media role.

Damian Drum confirmed on Monday he was aware of “rumours” of a relationship between Joyce and Campion when he hired her as a political staffer last July, but he had been told the affair had ended.

Drum told the ABC on Monday his then chief of staff had told him there was no longer “an ongoing affair” and he had been more concerned “about the work that she was going to do for us” than her relationship status.

“Certainly my understanding when [Campion] came across was, a) the relationship had finished, and b) to me it was irrelevant,” Drum said.

Drum’s comments indicate the relationship was a subject of open conversation within the government since the middle of last year.

But in a further written statement issued on Tuesday, Joyce said he “did not discuss these matters with the prime minister or his office as Vikki was not my partner, so they were dealt with in the usual course of staff deployments within the party”.

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The deputy prime minister said he “deeply regret[ed] the failure of my 24-year marriage, the tremendous hurt caused to Natalie and our four daughters and the unwanted public intrusion into what is an intensely private matter for all of us”.

Joyce said while his marriage “was under pressure for some time”, he reconciled with wife Natalie last April. He has not been specific about when the couple separated. Joyce has also not been specific about when his relationship with Campion began.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Barnaby and Natalie Joyce at the Mid-Winter Ball in Canberra in June 2017. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

In his written statement on Tuesday, Joyce characterised his relationship with Campion in the following terms. “In 2016 Vikki worked on the election campaign and in August came to work on my staff.

“A friendship subsequently developed and that became, over time, more.”

Joyce insists Campion was well qualified for the roles she held in the Nationals, and the changes between offices “was within the existing Nationals staff arrangement”.