Barnaby Joyce says he has a ‘vested interest’ in women’s safety because he has four daughters

Barnaby Joyce insisted he has a ‘vested interested’ in women’s safety because he is the father of four daughters, sparking laughter from Labor politicians who are concerned about his treatment of women.

In his first appearance as Deputy Prime Minister after overthrowing Michael McCormack, Mr Joyce was quizzed about comments from Australian Women in Agriculture founder Alana Johnson who said his return showed the Coalition was ‘obviously not listening’ to women’s concerns.

Mr Joyce stood down as Nationals Leader three years ago after his extra-marital affair with staffer Vikki Campion was made public at the same time as a woman accused him of sexually harassing her after an event in Canberra.  

A National Party investigation into the harassment claims, which Mr Joyce denies, was inconclusive due to a lack of evidence. 

In Question Time on Tuesday, Labor MP for Franklin in Tasmania, Julie Collins, asked Mr Joyce how he responds to the concerns of women in agriculture.

He replied: ‘I thank the member for her question. Might I say, as a father of four daughters…’

At that point he was interrupted by incredulous laughter from Labor MPs who were amused by his attempt to evoke his daughters to prove he cares about women. 

The Speaker told them to quieten down before My Joyce continued: ‘I have an incredible vested interest in making sure women in agriculture and every section of society have the best opportunity in the safest environment they could possibly live in.’

Earlier this year Mr Morrison was ridiculed for saying he empathised with former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’s rape allegation because he has two girls.

‘Jenny and I spoke last night and she said to me, you have to think about this as a father. What would you want to happen if it were our girls,’ he said.

Sexual abuse survivor and Australian of the Year Grace Tame said: ‘It shouldn’t take having daughters to have a conscience’. 

In a fiery Question Time Mr Joyce also said he would stand up for coal jobs in regional Queensland and New South Wales and also told Labor leader Anthony Albanese that he wanted him to keep his job for years to come because he was an easy opponent.

On Monday morning Mr Mr Joyce’s young sons restlessly climbed on their mother Vikki Campion while he was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister for the second time after staging a spectacular political comeback.

The father of six – who has four daughters from his collapsed marriage and two sons with his former staffer Campion – reclaimed leadership of the Nationals in a party vote on Monday.

The leader of the National Party – which is in a Coalition with Scott Morrison‘s Liberal Party – holds the role of Deputy Prime Minister when in government. 

Ms Joyce’s 24-year marriage to Natalie collapsed in December 2017 and two months later it was revealed he had been having an affair with his former media advisor Ms Campion. 

In February 2018 it was revealed the pair were expecting a child in a Daily Telegraph front page which featured a picture of a pregnant Ms Campion under the headline ‘Bundle of Joyce’.

The Nationals leader initially claimed the child may not be his, insisting the identity of the father was a ‘grey area’ – but said he would not take a paternity test and would raise the boy named Sebastian as his.