A decision by Australia’s former deputy prime minister to sell his story about having a love child with a former aide sparked derision yesterday and calls for politicians to be banned from paid interviews.
Scandal-hit Barnaby Joyce, who was forced to quit in February and move to the backbench over his affair with his 33-year-old former media adviser, is reportedly to be paid A$150,000 (US$112,782) for a tell-all television appearance by the pair on Sunday.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he planned to raise the matter privately with the married Joyce, whose smaller National Party rules alongside the prime minister’s Liberals.
“It’s certainly not ... a course of action that I would’ve encouraged him to take,” he told broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“I’ll just be circumspect on this and leave it for a private discussion,” he added.
News that Joyce, 50, had left his wife of 24 years for Vikki Campion gripped Australia earlier this year, sparking debate about workplace culture amid the global MeToo movement against sexual harassment.
The saga took another twist when Joyce questioned the paternity of the baby boy, who has since been born.
Best known outside Australia for threatening to euthanize Hollywood star Johnny Depp’s two dogs when they were brought into the country illegally, Joyce yesterday said it was Campion’s decision to accept payment for the interview.
He said the couple had tried to ride out the attention, but paparazzi would not leave them alone.
“Like most mothers, [Vikki] 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 told Australian newspaper.
The decision to accept payment has prompted accusations of hypocrisy — Joyce had previously made a formal complaint to the Australian Press Council over the media’s coverage of the affair.
Australian Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said serving politicians should be banned from giving paid interviews.
“I think the public is asking the question, is it appropriate for members of parliament to receive money to do media interviews?” he said.
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