Barnaby Joyce expected to resign as Deputy Prime Minister

James Massola

Published: February 23 2018 - 2:15PM

Barnaby Joyce is likely to quit his job as leader of the Nationals and Deputy Prime Minister and head to the backbench when he gives a media conference on Friday afternoon.

Such a move would bring an end to the scandal that has engulfed Mr Joyce for more than two weeks, since it was revealed he was expecting a baby boy with his former staffer-turned-partner, Vikki Campion.

A move to the backbench would mean he would give up the portfolios of Infrastructure and Transport and his salary would drop from $416,000 to about $200,000 a year. The new National Party leader would become deputy prime minister under the Coalition agreement.

In an exclusive interview with Fairfax Media on Wednesday, Mr Joyce called for Australians to "move on" from the affair; but that interview appeared to have backfired on Thursday when backbench MP Andrew Broad called publicly for him to quit.

The Nationals leader's chances of clinging to the leadership were dealt another blow late on Thursday when The Daily Telegraph reported a sexual harassment complaint had been lodged against Mr Joyce by a West Australian woman.

Sources close to Mr Joyce indicated on Friday afternoon that he could quit during a media conference scheduled in Armidale for 2pm on Friday.

They did not deny he was set to resign, despite repeated opportunities to do so.

More to come

This story was found at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/barnaby-joyce-expected-to-resign-as-deputy-prime-minister-20180223-p4z1fm.html