Barnaby Joyce stopped drinking for a religious holiday after he was filmed lying on a public footpath talking on his phone, mixing alcohol with prescription drugs.
The former deputy prime minister, who denied having a problem with alcohol, also refused to comment on his Nationals colleague Perin Davey, who admitted drinking alcohol before she was caught slurring her words at a budget estimates hearing.
“I’ve given up two things during Lent, one is drinking and the other is talking to other people about it,” Joyce told Nine’s Today program on Monday.
‘I will let other people deal with their personal matters. I won’t add comments.’
Daily Mail Australia captured video of Barnaby Joyce lying on a Canberra street footpath mumbling into his phone about a fortnight ago.
Ms Davey was filmed stumbling over her words while speaking at a Senate communications and environment legislation committee hearing on February 13. The New South Wales senator denied she was intoxicated, but said she previously consumed two glasses of wine at a drinks function for her staff.
Nationals leader David Littleproud defended Ms Davey’s actions and said he “wholeheartedly” supported the MP’s assurances that she was not drunk.
“We are not without mistakes in the National Party,” he told Sky News.
“We all slur our words from time to time and I think this is an overreach.”
The incident, which emerged just a week after Joyce was filmed drunk on a Canberra footpath after a long day of parliamentary sittings, has sparked growing calls to reconsider an alcohol ban in parliament.
New South Wales senator and Nationals deputy leader Perin Davey was slurring her words during a budget estimates hearing. Image: Supplied
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said individuals should take responsibility for their actions and he thought many people would learn a lesson from the scandals.
‘People can have a drink in moderation. You can catch up with friends, attend social events and that happens in workplaces and throughout society every day. But you have to take responsibility, especially if you’re in the public eye,” she told Sunrise.
When asked earlier about the back-to-back alcohol-related controversies affecting his party, Joyce remained tight-lipped but said he thought the issue had been blown out of proportion for political reasons.
“Sometimes I feel like, ‘Let’s exploit this issue politically for every purpose we can,'” he said. “That is an issue that the parties must decide.” “I’ll let them have that discussion.”
MP Zali Steggall has called in Parliament for random drug and alcohol testing. Above, Mr Joyce during Question Time last week
Teals MP Zali Steggall last week urged the Prime Minister to introduce random drug and alcohol testing in parliament, citing an “apparent problem” with Canberra’s drinking culture. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she did not believe an alcohol ban would deter MPs from drinking at work.
The senior Labor figure rejected calls to implement breath testing for federal MPs, arguing there was a “real problem” if the public could not trust their elected officials to resist drinking in the workplace.
‘I think the first thing to say is that people should not be drunk at work. I think adults need to think hard about their alcohol consumption in the workplace; I don’t really see any cause for it,” she stated.
“The truth is that most MPs don’t drink at work, what you see are some high profile cases which I guess give the impression that we’re all out there.” [on the drink] each night. It’s just not the case.’
EXCLUSIVEREAD MORE: Barnaby’s ex breaks her silence on trail incident
Barnaby Joyce’s first wife Natalie has broken her silence over video of the MP falling on a Canberra street. Above is the former couple at the Parliamentary Winter Ball in 2017 before they split.
