Barnaby Joyce jumps into pool to help elderly woman

Deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce is used to being in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, from being criticised for his controversial views on anything from housing affordability to Australia Day. 

Read more: Barnaby Joyce has some brutal advice for unemployed. 

But today he is in the spotlight for all the right reasons, after he showed he was quite the gentleman, helping a woman using a walking stick who fell into a fountain in Parliament House, even getting himself wet in the process.

It was while attending a special morning of commemoration and reflection on the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum on Indigenous Australians, reports Huffpost. An Indigenous delegation has gathered in the Member’s Hall for a cultural performance when the woman tripped and accidentally fell into the Pool of Reflection, a water feature in the centre of the hall.

Footage captured by Nine News shows Joyce springing into action to join others in her rescue, going to extra measure to help get her feet and walking stick out of the water feature, before comforting her after her fall and then helping her to a nearby seat. The last bit of the footage show him taking off his shoe to get some water out before again checking on the woman.

It’s nice to see people coming to the help of someone in distress rather than standing by and watching, or worse, taking photos on their mobile phone. 

Would you have done the same thing to help this lady?