Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has responded to a wave of criticism that hit earlier this week after it was revealed he and his partner would be paid $150,000 for an interview with the Seven Network.
The Nationals MP told the Australian newspaper that Vikki Campion, his partner and the mother of their newborn son, Sebastian, was the one who accepted the cash deal.
"Remember, there are other people in this interview, being Vikki and Seb, so if it was just an interview with me as a politician, sure, I am not going to charge for that," he said.
Joyce said Campion decided to do the interview as she was already being "screwed over" by the media and paparazzi, who had been flying drones over their house.
"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.
On Tuesday, financial services minister Kelly O'Dwyer brutally hit out at Joyce's decision to take the interview for cash. "Most Australians are pretty disgusted by it," she said on ABC radio.
Strong comments from frontbencher Kelly O'Dwyer on @RNBreakfast with @hamishNews, regarding Barnaby Joyce's reported $150,000 payment for an interview with a commercial network #auspol "I think most Australians are pretty disgusted by it." https://t.co/7iUNBqvWew
"I personally wouldn't do it; I don't think it's right," she said.
People weren't totally buying Joyce's explanation for taking money for the interview, with some saying he had thrown Campion under the bus.
The one where @Barnaby_Joyce throws his partner under the bus -- again. https://t.co/MNNoNaUlbv
Not for the first time @Barnaby_Joyce throws his partner under the bus. The man is a grub https://t.co/zlq8pHnhxV
Barnaby says his partner, like most new mothers, will make money off their tell all story if everyone else is. Is that what most new mothers are thinking? Not: my boobs are on fire, this baby won't sleep, if I hear this baby song one more time I'll lose my shit? #auspol
BREAKING: Barnaby Joyce's partner Vicki Campion has spent so much time under a bus she has just qualified as a diesel mechanic. #auspol
You’re not the only MP who’s been stalked over a longish period by the media @Barnaby_Joyce Weak excuse for paid interview justification #auspol
RT Barnaby_Joyce : Explaining 👏my 👏 story 👏 is 👏 emotional 👏labour 👏. Paypal 👏 link 👏 in 👏bio 👏.
Earlier, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull told Tasmanian radio's 89.3 LAFM Launceston he would speak to Joyce privately about the matter.
"It's certainly not a course of action I would have encouraged him to take, let's put it that way," he said.
"We tried for privacy. ... We tried just burning this out, and that didn't work," Joyce told media on Tuesday afternoon.
Barnaby speaks. Briefly. #auspol