This was Nationals MP for New England Barnaby
Thomas Gerard Joyce in late May 2018....
His journey to this point....
1. Stood for
election to the Australian Senate on the back of an untrue statutory declaration
in 2004;
2. As a
senator for Queensland made an untrue declaration in 2010 and continued making untrue declarations in 2013 and 2016
by which time he was a Member of the House of Representatives with a NSW seat and
Deputy Federal Parliamentary Leader of
the National Party;
3. Became
Deputy Prime Minister on 12 February 2016;
4. December 2016 began a relationship with a female member of his staff;
5. Calls for his
resignation as Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources in June-July 2017
after allegations of ministerial misconduct in the allocation of Murray-Darling
Basin water licences;
6. In August 2017
refused to resign from the Australian Parliament once it was discovered he had been
ineligible to nominate as a candidate at federal elections since birth due to
dual citizenship and, refused to stand down as Deputy Prime Minister;
7. Parliament
referred the matter to the High Court of Australia;
8. Was ruled
ineligible to sit in the Australian Parliament in an October 2017 High Court
ruling and removed from parliament;
9. Accepts $40,000 cheque from billionaire head of mining company at a 21 November 2017 National Agricultural Day gala dinner, thanks her effusively saying he intends to spend this money on his property. Allegedly returned cheque next day incorrectly telling media that it was only a novelty cheque he was handed on the night, not a bankable cheque.
10. Having
corrected his citizenship status, was re-elected as the MP for New England in a 2
December 2017 by-election and then re-instated as Deputy Prime Minister by the
Turnbull Government;
11. On 6 December
2017 admits he separated from his wife but fails to reveal commenced co-habitation
with a new pregnant partner;
12. January 2018 holidays with new partner in Queensland and on the Clarence Coast NSW;
13. On 7 February demands his personal privacy be respected;
14. February 2018 publicly admits to reporters that former staffer is his new partner, but it is not until 19 March that he officially includes her as such on Register of Members' Interests;
15. In
February 2018 an internal investigation into his use of parliamentary expense
entitlements was reportedly underway;
16. Allegations of sexual harassment appear in the media as well as allegations of public intoxication;
17. On week’s
leave from 20 February 2018 to avoid embarrassing the Turnbull Government by
becoming Acting Prime Minister while Turnbull was overseas;
18. Calls for privacy for self and new partner;
19. Resigned
as Deputy Prime Minister 26 February 2018;
20. On 14 March 2018 belated entered gift of six months free rental accommodation in Armidale onto Register of Members' Interests.
21. In March
2018 publicly raises doubts that he is the biological father of expected male
child;
22. Baby born
16 April 2018 and admits he is the biological father;
23. By late April it was common knowledge that he had signed book deal for an autobiography with an August 2018 deadline for completion;
24. After giving a number
of newspaper and televised interviews over the course of eleven weeks concerning his failed marriage/new relationship, he was reportedly paid $150,000 in May for a Channel 7 television interview yet to be aired;
25. States this money will be placed in trust for infant son and social media discusses trusts as tax minimisation tool;
26. As of 31 May 2018 existence of trust account and payment for interview not included in Register of Members' Interests;
27. Commenced up to eleven weeks personal leave as of 29 May 2018 after private interview with Prime Minister. Media reporting that this leave is covered by a medical certificate, which ensures that he meets provisions concerning member absence from parliament and obliges the Opposition by convention to pair him in House Of Representatives voting thus allowing Coalition to continue governing.
Personal leave covers period in which Channel 7 interview might go to air; and
28. Release of Channel 7 promotional clips shown on 29 May 2018 reveal there is almost nothing Joyce will not say or do to keep the media spotlight trained on him.
