Barnaby Joyce: One Nation MP responds to criticism after verbal blow-up at pet dog in ABC interview
Barnaby Joyce has defended himself after he was criticised for yelling at his dog during a TV interview, insisting the pet ‘still loves him’.
Barnaby Joyce has defended himself after he was criticised for yelling at his dog during a live ABC interview, insisting the pet “still loves him”.
The One Nation MP startled viewers when he turned away from 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson and shouted “sit down” at an off-camera dog that could not be seen or heard by those watching from home.
Mr Joyce quickly explained the blow-up, saying “Sorry, it’s the dog.”
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When Ms Ferguson asked the former Nationals leader about a manifesto Restore Britain founder Rupert Lowe gave Hanson titled ‘Mass Deportation’ the dog supposedly chimed in again.
“I have to apologise for this dog, which has decided to bail up my...” Joyce said.
The comment led to a tense moment when Ms Ferguson urged him not to worry about the dog and “just answer the question.”
“Don’t be rude, Sarah or this interview will grind to a halt,” Mr Joyce replied.
In response to backlash from viewers, the former deputy prime minister said his staffy-borer collie cross, Stella, was a “young” farm dog that had wandered under the deck during the interview.
“It just came under the deck while Sarah Ferguson was giving me a grilling,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I tried (to go on) for a while, hoping it would stop. I was missing Sarah’s questions. The dog loved me in the morning. I don’t know if the same can be said about Sarah.”
Mr Joyce rejected suggestions his behaviour bordered on animal abuse, arguing the reaction highlighted what he described as a divide between regional and city living Australians.
“People in the regions laugh about it. People in the inner city think it’s a war crime,” he said.
But Mr Joyce’s on-screen outburst didn’t just fire-up some viewers, Animal Justice Marty MP Georgie Purcell said the incident should not be dismissed as harmless.
“I know a lot of people are laughing it off, but I think it creates a bit of a culture of disrespect, and that can lead on to much more adverse outcomes when it comes to our animals,” she told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
Despite the tense exchange, Ms Ferguson lightheartedly referenced the dog and brushed off the interruption at the end of the interview.
“We will say thank you very much for joining us Barnaby Joyce, the dog was no problem,” she said.
But Mr Joyce was still hung up on the distraction.
“It was to me,” he said.
