Politician faces backlash for stopping TV interview to yell at dog
Right-wing Australian politician Barnaby Joyce is facing fire for bellowing at his dog during a live TV interview.
Mr Joyce, a former deputy prime minister and leader of the National Party who joined One Nation last year, was speaking with ABC News reporter Sarah Ferguson about party leader Pauline Hanson’s decision to meet controversial far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
The politician, who appeared flustered as he was asked about his party’s direction, abruptly looked to his left and let out a scream.
Mr Joyce fired a screeching “sit down” at his dog in the middle of a sentence, startling the interviewer. The dog could neither be seen nor heard.
“Sorry, it’s a dog,” he told Ms Ferguson as he continued answering the question.
Two minutes into the interview, Mr Joyce again apologised for the dog, which he said was interrupting him.
“Don’t worry about the dog,” Ms Ferguson responded. “Just answer the question.”
“Don’t be rude,” Mr Joyce snapped back. “Otherwise, this interview will come to a grinding halt.”
The dog was brought up again at the end of the conversation when Ms Ferguson said the pet “was no problem”.
“It was to me,” Mr Joyce retorted.
The moment of Mr Joyce screaming at his dog was quickly circulated online.
Mr Joyce later said he had a “staffy-border collie” cross who was under the deck during the interview and was “barking incessantly”.
While some users on social media criticised Mr Joyce for exploding in anger at the dog and worried how he was treated off camera, others said he was just trying to deflect.
“Barnaby Joyce is agitated by questions from the interviewer and takes his temper out on his poor dog. We’ve got your back, puppy!” an X user named Ko Elizabeth said, calling Mr Barnaby a “sore loser”.
