CANBERRA: The Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce announced his decision to resign from his post on Friday after widespread calls to quit due to his affair with his former Media Adviser Vikki Campion.
“On Monday morning I will step down as the Leader of The Nationals and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia,” he announced via Twitter. He will continue to be part of the parliament on the back bench.
National Party of Australia is the junior partner in the current government headed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The PM criticised Barnaby Joyce for “shocking error of judgement” and banned ministers from having sexual relations with their staff. The deputy PM had denied that his conduct was in breach of ministerial standards and refused to resign for over two weeks.
He has apologised to his wife, children and Vikki Campion over the much-publicised scandal.
