politics

Natalie Joyce doesn't want Barnaby to lose his job over the affair that ruined her marriage.

 

The estranged wife of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce does not want her husband to lose his job as leader of the Nationals, despite the fact his affair with media advisor Vikki Campion led to the break down of her marriage.

Friends of Natalie Joyce, who was married to Barnaby Joyce for nearly 25 years, told the Daily Telegraph the mum-of-four did not want the father of her daughters to lose his job.

The Telegraph reported Ms Joyce is still “loyal” to her estranged husband, and has “voiced concerns” about his colleagues undermining him and calling for his resignation as leader of the National Party.

The report comes in the wake of Ms Joyce making her first public appearance since news of Mr Joyce’s affair broke two weeks ago – and the impending arrival of his baby with Ms Campion – at a party for a Nationals and Liberal Party donor on the Sydney harbour.

The Daily Telegraph’s story on Tuesday also comes a fortnight after she first spoke publicly of her husband’s affair.

LISTEN: The Mamamia Out Loud team discuss Kate Langbroek’s comments on Barnaby’s affair. Post continues after audio.

“I am deeply saddened by the news that my husband has been having an affair and is now having a child with a former staff member. I understand that this affair has been going on for many months and started when she was a paid employee,” she told The Australian after news of the affair broke.

“This situation is devastating on many fronts. 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.”

In an interview with Fairfax Media on Tuesday, a defiant Joyce said he is “not going anywhere”.

“I’ve been in heaps of fights in my political life, this is another one, in any person’s political career you aren’t created by the times in your favour, you’re tempered by the times of adversity. That’s how politics works – you rise to deal with it,” he told journalist James Massola.

“I am humbled by the support in my electorate and in the community. People are starting to see this as a witch hunt. I’m not going anywhere, I never would.”