Following his ongoing affair scandal, two-thirds of Australians want Barnaby Joyce to step down from his position as Deputy Prime Minister, his estranged wife Natalie Joyce, however, is not one of them.
In a previous public statement, Natalie confirmed the very public affair had “devastated” and “hurt” her, yet the Daily Telegraph has reported Natalie has told close friends she wants Barnaby to retain his position.
Natalie’s friends told the News Corp publication that Mrs Joyce was holding back on giving any major interviews because she wanted Joyce to keep his role as Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the National Party.
Speaking to the publication previously, Mrs Joyce had confirmed the affair between her husband and his ex-staffer was devastating on “many fronts.”
“This situation is devastating on many fronts — for my girls who are affected by the family breakdown and for me as a wife of 24 years, who placed my own career on hold to support Barnaby through his political life,” she told the Daily Telegraph.
Barnaby and his family.
News of the affair came just two months after he formally announced the breakdown of his 24-year marriage to Natalie Joyce, the mother of his four children.
Barnaby Joyce announced he had separated from his wife Natalie Joyce in December, 2017.
The admission of separation was somewhat controversial as it was included as a bizzare contribution to the same sex marriage debate.
“The current definition of marriage has stood the test of time… half of them fail, I acknowledge that,”Mr Joyce said on December 7th, 2017.
“I’ll acknowledge … I’m currently separated so that’s on the record. I don’t come to this debate pretending to be a saint.”
Natalie and the Deputy Prime Minister were married in 1993 and together for 24 years.
The pair met while they were both in University.
