Barnaby Joyce has finally confirmed his relationship with partner and mother of his unborn child, Vikki Campion, on the parliamentary register.
The former deputy prime minister has been under mounting pressure to declare the romance, and despite finally listing her this week, he missed the 28 day deadline to do so, which could now leave him at risk of being found in contempt of parliament.
Joyce, 50, resigned shortly after it was revealed he’s expecting a baby with his former staffer ,following a secret and long-running affair. He’s remained silent on the relationship since, and had kept her off the register until now.
According to the ABC, the former National Party leader has listed Campion’s property, shares, and bank account on his register, as well as officially naming her as his partner.
Parliamentary rules state he had 28 days from the day he revealed his relationship – February 13 – to declare a change of circumstance, but he missed the deadline. He could now be found in contempt, but only if a member of parliament or the public were to contact the House of Representatives Standing Committee of Privileges and Member’s Interests to complain. An investigation would then be opened.
Joyce previously denied he was in a relationship with Campion, after she moved from his office to that of his Nationals colleague Matt Canavan. According to ministerial standards, the prime minister must approve the employment of any family members or partners in another frontbencher’s office, but Joyce argued that rule didn’t apply to him at the time, as they ‘weren’t a couple’.
That denial allowed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s office to find that Joyce had not been in breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct in helping Campion obtain roles with Canavan and then another Nationals MP.
Joyce’s official declaration of the relationship comes after told Fairfax Media the paternity of his partner’s baby was unclear, adding that he and his lover had been apart for most of the critical conceiving period. According to Fairfax reports, Joyce was in Europe on a 10-day business trip with his wife Natalie in June 2017, while Campion was located in north Queensland.
Joyce resigned from his role as the leader of the National Party and as the country’s deputy prime minister last month after a West Australian woman accused him of sexual misconduct. Barnaby quickly called the accusations–printed in an ABC report– “spurious and defamatory”, vehemently denying that such events took place.
The politician revealed in December that he and Natalie had separated. His relationship with his former adviser hit the headlines just a few months later, when the Daily Telegraph published a picture of a pregnant Campion and reported that Joyce was the father of her baby.