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Political critics call on Barnaby Joyce to quit after tell-all interview

Barnaby Joyce and  partner and former employee Vikki Campion in their paid television interview. Joyce had stepped down as Nationals leader after their relationship became public.

Barnaby Joyce and partner and former employee Vikki Campion in their paid television interview. Joyce had stepped down as Nationals leader after their relationship became public. Photo: Channel Seven

Critics of Barnaby Joyce inside federal parliament are calling on the former deputy prime minister to resign after watching a television interview about his affair with a former staffer.

Mr Joyce has admitted to fighting for his political survival despite knowing his job was untenable after his new partner Vikki Campion fell pregnant.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said it was time for Mr Joyce to move on from public office.

“Barnaby has taken leave from the parliament and I think he should probably pack up his office, go home and spend time with his family,” she told the Seven Network on Monday.

“He will never be the deputy prime minister again. He will never be the leader of the Nationals, and I don’t think he will ever get re-elected in the seat of New England.”

Independent senator Derryn Hinch said Mr Joyce had thrown Ms Campion under the bus and was still betraying the National Party.

“I think he will finally quit, he won’t stand for re-election,” Senator Hinch said.

“He can’t get the leadership back, he can’t get back into cabinet.”

However, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton believes the interview has “drawn a line in the sand”.

“It’s now a private issue and it’s not a political issue,” he told Sky News.

In a tear-filled interview on the Seven Network on Sunday, Ms Campion said she was told by “conservatives” within parliament to have an abortion.

Ms Campion said she couldn’t terminate the pregnancy because the baby had a heartbeat.

When asked who suggested the termination, she said “people who are supposed to be conservative”.

Mr Joyce campaigned and retained his seat of New England in a by-election last December brought about by a High Court ruling that he was a dual citizen.

He resigned the Nationals leadership in late February, weeks after the affair and pregnancy were sensationally revealed in tabloid newspapers.

“Toward the end, I was fighting more out of spite than logic,” he said.

Mr Joyce said he knew he would be out of the job by the time baby Sebastian was born.

But he hit out at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for calling a media conference to criticise his deputy’s judgment.

Senator Hanson-Young said one thing was “absolutely crystal clear” following the interview.

“Thank god Barnaby Joyce is no longer the deputy PM,” she said.

“A man of terrible judgment who can’t take responsibility for his own actions and likes to blame everybody else, including the woman sitting by his side, at times.”

-AAP

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