Barnaby Joyce, Australia’s deputy PM, resigns over sex scandal
Harassment allegations and affair with staff member sealed the fate of the Nationals party leader

Australia’s deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, has been forced to resign after he became mired in a number of sexual and financial scandals.
The final straw came yesterday, when it emerged that Joyce, who leads the Nationals, the junior partner in Australia’s coalition government, had been accused by an unnamed woman of sexual harassment.
He denied the allegation, labelling it “spurious and defamatory”, The Guardian reports, but acting Prime Minister Matthias Cormann described it as “extremely serious”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Joyce first came under fire two weeks ago when it was revealed that his marriage had broken down late last year because of an affair he had with a former member of his staff, who is now pregnant with his child.
He was also accused of improperly assisting the staff member of securing three lucrative roles with other MPs during the affair.
Questions had also been raised over Joyce’s decision to accept free accommodation following the breakdown of his marriage from a businessman who had dealings with Joyce's ministerial department.
The ABC reports that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is in the US to meet Donald Trump, has “thanked Joyce for his service”, calling him a “fierce advocate for rural and regional Australia”.
Turnbull had repeatedly declined to express support for Joyce, as calls for the deputy Prime Minister to step down intensified.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - May 11, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - shark-infested waters, Mother's Day, and more
-
5 fundamentally funny cartoons about the US Constitution
Cartoons Artists take on Sharpie edits, wear and tear, and more
-
In search of paradise in Thailand's western isles
The Week Recommends 'Unspoiled spots' remain, providing a fascinating insight into the past
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical