Barnaby Joyce barks at his dog in live TV interview
'You can test a man's character on how he treats animals.'
Barnaby Joyce defended Pauline Hanson in an interview on ABC's 7:30 last night, but to many viewers, that wasn't his biggest ‘crime’.
As the One Nation MP spoke to host Sarah Fergusson, at one stage he told his off-camera dog, “Sit down!”
Except it was more: “Sittdownnn!” in an loud and aggressive manner - a bark.
"Sorry … it's the dog," Joyce clarified with an awkward laugh, blaming the pet for his lack of composure and inability to focus on the interview.
Later, as Ferguson questioned One Nation's policy on identifying visa overstayers through the health system, Joyce again became distracted, and said, “I have to apologise for this dog."
When Ferguson encouraged him to continue answering the question, Joyce told her off, too.
“Don't be rude. Otherwise, this interview will come to a grinding halt, Sarah."
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At the interview’s conclusion, Ferguson said: “Thank you very much indeed for joining us Barnaby Joyce. The dog was no problem. Thank you.”
Joyce rejoined: “It was to me.”
The moment has since gone viral, with media outlets all over Australia reporting on Joyce's behaviour - and hotly debating it, as can be seen in this post from Seven's Sunrise.
Amanda Rose, Founding Director of Western Sydney Women, and James Willis, 2GB Presenter, had vastly differing opinions on the outburst.
“I spoke to Barnaby last night and in fairness, there was a dog barking the whole time during our conversation,” Willis said.
“He's under a bit of pressure, poor Barnaby.”
Rose was appalled.
“You can test a man's character on how he treats animals,” she said.
As she was speaking, Willis interjected with comments like, “Are you for real?” and “Ring the RSPCA.”
Rose finally continued, “That was very aggressive… This is just the tip of the iceberg of his character.”
Sunrise host Natalie Barr asked if Joyce's tone was standard “in sheep yards all around Australia?”
Rose somewhat agreed, if the dog was a “working dog” on Joyce's rural property, but clarified, “I come from a farming family,” meaning she can speak from experience on how to treat working animals.
Who is Barnaby Joyce's dog?
A quick look at Joyce's Instagram account shows him sharing moments at work, with family and friends… and one post about a dog called Blackie, 222 weeks ago in 2021.
Blackie was 18 at the time, so it's unlikely he was the one vocally objecting to his owner's defence of Pauline Hanson last night - though he certainly would have had the right to, after many years of service to Joyce's family.
But we thought this was worth sharing as a hopeful sign that Joyce is not a dog-hater.
The caption reads: "Today is International Dog Day, and I wanted to give a special shoutout to Blackie, who has been here through thick and thin, he was my brother Tim's pup, then helped Dad with the cattle, and my Mum spoiled him rotten.
"He's 18 now, more than 100 in dog years, so enjoying retirement from the working dog life - except for when he musters up the boys and oversees my commentary on Sunrise on Monday mornings."
What a good boy. Blackie, that is.
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