He’s the man who strongly opposed gay marriage, arguing it was against traditional family values. Now it’s been revealed Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is expecting a baby with his former staff member, after leaving his wife of 24 years.

Mr Joyce’s former wife, Natalie, said she was “deeply saddened” by the affair given her husband’s former media adviser-now live-in girlfriend Vikki Campion had been a welcome visitor to the family home.

“This affair has been going on for many months and started when she was a paid employee,” Mrs Joyce said in a statement.

“Naturally we feel deceived and hurt by the actions of Barnaby and the staff member involved.

“The situation for myself and the girls has been made worse by the fact it’s been played out in public at this time.

“This situation is devastating on many fronts.”

A photograph of Joyce’s pregnant partner, who is almost 20 years his junior, printed on the front page of the Daily Telegraph triggered a fierce debate about whether the image and accompanying article are an invasion of privacy or matter of public interest.

Politicians were quick to condemn the reporting, with Mr Joyce later breaking his silence on the scandal during an interview on Thursday night.

“I can’t quite fathom why basically a pregnant lady walking across the road deserves a front page,” he told ABC TV.

“I think once we start going through this salami slicing of a private life, where does it end?”

Rumours of the affair and baby surfaced during the New England by-election in October but had not been formally confirmed.

Gay rights campaigner Rodney Croome unloaded both barrels on the “hypocrite” deputy prime minister, who vehemently opposed same-sex marriage and demanded the issue be put to a national vote.

Camera Icon Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce Credit: AAP

“You can’t put the lives of tens of thousands of your fellow citizens under the microscope and then expect to avoid scrutiny yourself,” Mr Croome said.

He argued the scandal exposed what “traditional marriage” meant for people like Mr Joyce.

“It is not a set of standards for heterosexual couples to live up to. It is a euphemism for prejudice against LGBTI people and our exclusion from the core institutions of society,” Mr Croome said.

Ms Campion is a former News Limited reporter who left Mr Joyce’s office last April after rumours of the affair surfaced, according to 7 News.