Barnaby Joyce is taking time off just weeks after he was filmed lying on public footpath intoxicated and slurring profanities into his phone.
The former deputy prime minister came under intense scrutiny earlier this month after a viral video emerged showing him lying on a Canberra street late at night that he later blamed on mixing alcohol with prescription medication.
Ahead of a busy parliamentary sitting day on Monday, Nationals leader David Littleproud said Mr Joyce had taken the week off after he urged the MP to take leave to deal with ‘personal matters’.
‘I’ll take Barnaby on his word. He won’t be here this week. He’s notified me that he won’t be coming to parliament,’ Mr Littleproud said.
The former deputy prime minister came under intense scrutiny earlier this month after a viral video emerged showing him lying on a Canberra street late at night that he later blamed on mixing alcohol with prescription medication
Ahead of a busy parliamentary sitting day on Monday, Nationals leader David Littleproud said Mr Joyce had taken the week off after he urged the MP to take leave to deal with ‘personal matters’
‘He’s having the week off, which we gave him the opportunity to undertake with his family.
‘I respect that. And I hope, hope he went to church yesterday and all he had was altar wine.’
Mr Joyce said he was giving up alcohol for Lent.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joked Mr Joyce will not be organising his bucks party after he announced his engagement to his girlfriend Jodie Haydon.
Mr Albanese, 60, got down on one knee on Valentine’s Day and has since been fielding questions from the media about his wedding.
Speaking with Melbourne’s Fox FM radio hosts, Mr Albanese quickly brushed off the idea of embattled Nationals Frontbencher Mr Joyce planning his bucks night.
‘Nah mate, I want to stay vertical,’ the Prime Minister said on Friday.
Mr Albanese had previously ruled out inviting Mr Joyce to the wedding, telling KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O on Wednesday that he was the only person off the list so far.
‘Barnaby is not invited… that’s very clear,’ he said.
The Albanese government has been dealt a blow in new polling taken since its revision of the stage 3 tax cuts and days out from a crucial by-election.
Parliament will sit for the next four days before the by-election in the Melbourne seat of Dunkley, following the death of Labor MP Peta Murphy, is held on Saturday – the first big electoral test of the year.
Two new polls show despite the changes to the tax cuts – which will go through parliament this week – the government suffered a dip in its primary vote.
The Newspoll for The Australian shows the government failing to improve its position overall since December.
Barnaby Joyce is taking time off just weeks after he was filmed lying on public footpath intoxicated and slurring profanities into his phone
Labor’s primary vote fell behind the Coalition 36 to 33 per cent, although the government maintained a four-point lead on the two-party preferred vote system, 52 to 48 per cent, two points higher than February’s polling.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she knew the by-election would be a tight call but remained confident that Labor candidate Jodie Belyea would sway voters.
‘By-elections are tough and that is why our candidate is out there every single day talking to voters about what matters to them – and that is cost of living,’ she said.
Nationals frontbencher Barnaby Joyce declared that high cost of living was ‘absolutely murdering people’, arguing that recent scandals involving border protection would dampen Labor’s chances.
‘(Voters) can’t afford what is happening at the checkout and they certainly can’t afford their power prices,’ he said.
‘Let’s see what the Labor Party can do. They don’t deserve to win – put it that way, let’s see what happens.’
The Newspoll results also showed Mr Albanese gaining one point as the ‘better prime minister’ from 46 to 47 per cent, with Mr Dutton remaining steady on 35 per cent. A further 18 per cent were uncommitted.
Polling conducted by Resolve Political Monitor for the Nine newspapers found the primary vote for Labor dropped by one point from 35 to 34 per cent since December, while the Coalition gained ground from 34 per cent to 37 per cent.
While Mr Albanese was still seven points ahead of Mr Dutton (39 to 32 per cent) as the preferred prime minister, the margin was also at its lowest since Labor was returned to power.
