Prominent Australian politician Barnaby Joyce, who actively campaigned against same-sex marriage, has been cheating on his wife for months.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Joyce started a relationship with a former employee and she is now pregnant. Her baby is due in April this year.
Without denying the claims, he told the 730 ABC program: ‘Well, what I want to do is make sure private matters remain private. Quite obviously, I don’t think it benefits anybody to drag private matters out into the public arena.’
The Daily Telegraph splashed a photo of the heavily pregnant woman on the front page of their print newspaper this morning.
It goes without saying this will cause a stir tomorrow pic.twitter.com/qgesWwc6mQ
— Andrew Greene (@AndrewBGreene) February 6, 2018
During the time of Australia’s divisive public vote on gay marriage, Joyce said: I believe in the current definition of marriage.’
He campaigned for the ‘no’ side of the public vote. He then ended up abstaining from the parliamentary vote on marriage equality.
In 2015, Joyce made headlines when he said legalizing same-sex marriage would damage cattle exports.
‘What’s your response to critics who say you are a hypocrite?’
Journalist Leigh Sales asked Joyce: ‘On social media, there’s been some commentary pointing out that during the same-sex marriage debate, you spoke in favor of traditional families at the same time you were moving on from your own marriage with a staffer. What’s your response to critics who say you are a hypocrite?’
Joyce replies replies: ‘How could that be?
‘Just because my marriage didn’t work out, [it] doesn’t mean I disregard what marriages are about. It just means on that instance, as I said, I failed.
‘I But I’m not going to start saying “Well therefore, I’m gonna say that because I failed, I’m going to completely change my views and definition.” I don’t think anybody walks down the aisle with a view that they think that it’s going to come to an end or a finish – you don’t,’ he said.
Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce. | Photo: Wikipedia
Joyce’s wife Natalie said: ‘The situation is devastating, for my girls who are affected by the family breakdown and for me as a wife of 24 years who placed my own career on hold to support Barnaby through his political life.’
She added: ‘Naturally we feel deceived and hurt by the actions of Barnaby and the staff member involved.’
‘Barnaby Joyce is a hypocrite’
People on social media weren’t impressed by the news of Barnaby Joyce cheating on his wife either.
Many pointed out the double standards with advocating for the sanctity of marriage during Australia’s public vote and then cheating on your wife.
Comedian Nath Valvo said: ‘Thinking of you tonight, Barnaby Joyce. I couldn’t possibly know what it’s like to have the country debate your private relationships.’
Same-sex marriage campaigner Rodney Croome said: ‘Barnaby Joyce is a hypocrite to oppose LGBTI equality in the name of “traditional marriage” while breaking his vow of lifelong commitment and having a child out of wedlock. Joyce insisted on a plebiscite that put LGBTI relationships under scrutiny so he can’t claim “privacy” now.’
And Rachel Baker said: ‘I don’t care that Barnaby Joyce had an affair. I care that he had an affair with an employee. I care that while having an affair with a married woman he abstained from voting on SSM.’
