Barnaby Joyce says it was his partner Vikki Campion's decision to accept payment for a joint television interview.

Key points: Barnaby Joyce says Vikki Campion wanted to "make money" because she felt "screwed over"

Barnaby Joyce says Vikki Campion wanted to "make money" because she felt "screwed over" He says they have had drones over their home, paparazzi following them

He says they have had drones over their home, paparazzi following them Nationals leader Michael McCormack to discuss the paid interview with Mr Joyce this week

Earlier Tuesday Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer said Mr Joyce made a mistake by selling his story to the media and "most Australians are pretty disgusted by it".

The interview will be broadcast next Sunday night on Channel Seven with payment reportedly as much as $150,000.

Mr Joyce defended the decision, saying he and his partner had "tried for privacy".

"And the last fortnight, we have had drones over our house, we have had paparazzi waiting for us outside Armidale airport, we have had people following us to Uralla," he said.

"We tried just burning this out — that did not work."

When asked if he should have taken money for the interview, Mr Joyce said "I didn't".

"It is an interview not just with me, it is with Vikki," he said.

Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion walking together in Tamworth in 2016. ( ABC News: Lucy Barbour )

'Drones over our house'

Mr Joyce told The Australian he would not have asked for money if the interview was only with him.

"If it was just an interview with me as a politician, sure, I am not going to charge for that," Mr Joyce said.

"But that is not what they wanted, they wanted an interview obviously to get Vikki's side of the story and like most mothers she said: 'Seeing as I am being screwed over and there are drones and everything over my house in the last fortnight, paparazzi waiting for me, if everybody else is making money then [I am] going to make money out of it," he said.

Mr Joyce also told The Australian he would not have sold his story if there were stronger privacy protections in Australia.

Late last year, Mr Joyce confirmed he had split with his wife of 24 years, and in April he announced he and Ms Campion had a son.

The baby boy named Sebastian is Mr Joyce's fifth child.

His relationship with Ms Campion was revealed by the Daily Telegraph newspaper earlier this year with a front page photo showing her pregnant, although he also said the baby's paternity was a "grey area".

Sorry, this video has expired Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce launches his defence of selling his story.

PM to discuss TV deal with Joyce

Ms O'Dwyer said politicians should not be paid for interviews.

"Ultimately, it's a matter for him and his judgment. I personally wouldn't do it, I don't think it's right, and I think most Australians are pretty disgusted by it," she told RN.

Ms O'Dwyer later told Sky News she did not think a parliamentarian should take money for an interview and, "I don't think their spouse should either".

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull clashed with Mr Joyce when his affair became public earlier this year and he subsequently banned ministers having sex with their staff.

The PM said he would have a private conversation with Mr Joyce about the interview agreement.

"It's certainly not a course of action that I would have encouraged him to take," Mr Turnbull told LAFM.

"People are making judgments about it, I've said it's not something I would have encouraged him to do, in fact quite the contrary," he said.

Mr Turnbull said Mr Joyce would have to declare the amount he is being paid in his register of members interests in due course.

Sorry, this video has expired Nationals Darren Chester 'uncomfortable' about MPs being paid for interviews

'Not here to judge them'

Nationals senator John Williams said people should wait until they saw the story before making a judgment about Mr Joyce's decision.

"It is a decision being made by Barnaby and Vikki and I am not here to judge them on what decisions they make in life," Senator Williams said.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who replaced Mr Joyce as Nationals leader, said he would not accept payment for an interview.

"I wouldn't do it," he said, adding that it was a "personal matter for Barnaby".

"Whilst you are a serving member of parliament, you have to wonder about the merit of these things."

Mr McCormack said it would "no doubt come up" when he speaks to Mr Joyce this week as parliament sits.

"I will be catching up with him this week, yes, like I catch up with all my National Party members," he said.

Mr McCormack said it would be up to voters to determine if Mr Joyce's actions were acceptable.

"The court of public opinion will always determine whether a politician has crossed the line," he said.

"He chose to go down this path, we will let the people in New England decide whether that was such a sensible thing to do."

A ban on paid interviews?

Another Nationals minister, Darren Chester, has suggested a ban on serving politicians giving paid interviews.

"I think the public is asking the question: Is it appropriate for sitting members of parliament to receive money to do media interviews? I think we should have the conversation in the Parliament. I'm hoping for that conversation to occur," Mr Chester said.

He said chequebook journalism wasn't great for the media and he did not think sitting MPs would want to be in a position where the public was questioning whether they've been paid.