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Barnaby Joyce: Scandal-hit Australia deputy PM to resign Barnaby Joyce: Scandal-hit Australia deputy PM to resign
(about 1 hour later)
Barnaby Joyce says he will resign as Australia's deputy prime minister following a politically damaging saga that began with his affair with a former staffer.Barnaby Joyce says he will resign as Australia's deputy prime minister following a politically damaging saga that began with his affair with a former staffer.
Mr Joyce said he would step down on Monday as leader of the Nationals, the junior government partner.Mr Joyce said he would step down on Monday as leader of the Nationals, the junior government partner.
Mr Joyce had resisted calls to quit amid questions over whether he had breached ministerial rules. He had previously resisted calls to quit amid intense scrutiny over his ministerial conduct.
He called his decision on Friday a "circuit-breaker". The scandal has dominated Australian headlines for more than two weeks.
He described his decision on Friday as a "circuit-breaker" for his family and new partner.
"This current cacophony of issues has to be put aside," he told reporters."This current cacophony of issues has to be put aside," he told reporters.
Mr Joyce is perhaps best-known for once threatening to kill Johnny Depp's dogs over a quarantine violation, and for briefly losing his job over his New Zealand dual citizenship last year. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull issued a statement shortly after thanking Mr Joyce for being a "a fierce advocate for rural and regional Australia".
On Friday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull thanked Mr Joyce for being a "a fierce advocate for rural and regional Australia". Who is Mr Joyce?
The political scrutiny of Mr Joyce has dominated Australian headlines for more than two weeks. Mr Joyce has built a prominent profile during a parliamentary career that began in 2004.
Last week, Mr Turnbull publicly criticised Mr Joyce's "shocking error of judgement" and said ministers would be banned from having sex with their staff. The outspoken politician is perhaps best-known for once threatening to kill Johnny Depp's dogs over a quarantine violation, and for briefly losing his job over his New Zealand dual citizenship last year.
Mr Joyce responded by calling Mr Turnbull's comments "inept" and "unnecessary", but insisted the pair could still work together. A leading conservative, he represented rural voters as leader of the National party.
Why was he pressured?
Mr Joyce said he faced a "litany of allegations" in the weeks after a newspaper exposed his relationship with Vikki Campion, his former media adviser. He has repeatedly denied breaching ministerial standards.
Political opponents questioned him after two unadvertised jobs within his party were taken up by Ms Campion last year, and over whether he sought a gift of free housing from a businessman.
He also vigorously denied a sexual harassment complaint that was made against him by another woman.
Last week, he sparred publicly with Mr Turnbull after the PM criticised his "shocking error of judgement" and declared that ministers would be banned from having sex with their staff.
Mr Joyce said Mr Turnbull's comments had "caused further harm" but insisted the pair could still work together.
Joyce's authority erodedJoyce's authority eroded
Hywel Griffith, BBC News Sydney correspondentHywel Griffith, BBC News Sydney correspondent
Fighting a barrage of bad headlines, Barnaby Joyce knew his position had become untenable.Fighting a barrage of bad headlines, Barnaby Joyce knew his position had become untenable.
Sometimes strenuous denials and combative rebuttals just aren't enough to win back the news agenda.Sometimes strenuous denials and combative rebuttals just aren't enough to win back the news agenda.
More importantly, they didn't succeed in maintaining the trust and credibility he has enjoyed for most of his career.More importantly, they didn't succeed in maintaining the trust and credibility he has enjoyed for most of his career.
Although Mr Joyce is known as a battler who enjoys a big personal vote, support amongst his colleagues had started to ebb away.Although Mr Joyce is known as a battler who enjoys a big personal vote, support amongst his colleagues had started to ebb away.
And so, rather than face the potential humiliation of a leadership contest, Mr Joyce took matters into his own hands and put himself on the backbench.And so, rather than face the potential humiliation of a leadership contest, Mr Joyce took matters into his own hands and put himself on the backbench.
On Friday, Mr Joyce again insisted that his relationship with his former media adviser, Vikki Campion, had not resulted in any breaches of standards at the time. Marriage breakdown
The veteran MP faced scrutiny over the timing of two jobs offered to Ms Campion within his party last year, and whether he sought a gift of free housing from a businessman. Mr Joyce has previously apologised to his estranged wife Natalie Joyce, four daughters, and Ms Campion, for the public manner in which the scandal has played out.
He has also vigorously denied a sexual harassment complaint that was made against him by another woman. He has described the breakdown of his marriage as one of "the greatest failures of my life", while Mrs Joyce told media the situation was "devastating".
On Friday, Mr Joyce said he hoped his decision would help his family.
"This has got to stop. It's not fair on them," he said.