An Australian politician has gone viral after shouting at his dog during a live television interview. Barnaby Joyce, a right-wing member of the One Nation Party, was being questioned by ABC News reporter Sarah Ferguson on Monday when he suddenly yelled 'sit down!' at something off-camera.
Interview Disrupted by Dog
Ferguson had asked Joyce whether he was 'comfortable' with the direction his party leader was taking the party. As he began to answer, he shouted at his dog, then apologized, saying 'Sorry, it’s the dog.' He chuckled awkwardly and attempted to continue, but was interrupted again when pressed on policy. Joyce apologized again, leading to a tense exchange. Ferguson told him not to 'worry about the dog' and to 'just answer the question.' Joyce retorted, 'Don’t be rude. Otherwise, this interview will come to a grinding halt.'
Context of the Interview
Joyce appeared on the program after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson faced criticism for meeting Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist and convicted criminal, during a trip to the UK. When the interview ended, Ferguson quipped that the dog had been 'no problem,' but Joyce replied, 'It was to me.' He later claimed his dog, a 'staffy-border collie cross,' was 'barking incessantly' from under the deck.
Online Reactions
The clip quickly spread on social media, with some viewers criticizing Joyce's treatment of the dog and others questioning whether the dog existed. Liz Allen wrote on X, 'You can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat animals.' Chris Fitzgerald added, 'Never trust a person who treats animals poorly.' Erica Campbell called it 'weird,' and Sam Clench said it was 'not a normal way to talk to your dog.' Azlancat commented, 'You yell at your dog like that on camera, what will you be like when you’re off it? Awful.' Some users, like Cheryl Allderladd, joked, 'Angry man yells at invisible dog to think up an answer.'
Speculation of Deflection
Many suggested the dog was not real, as no barks could be heard in the clip, and accused Joyce of deflecting from the difficult question. Political commentator Ronni Salt stated, 'Not sure who needs to hear this but Barnaby is a very old hand at the media game – a cunning, experienced player. He was asked an extremely difficult question by Ferguson and his eyes darted around, thinking. Then next thing, voila, suddenly a dog is on the scene, oh dear what was the question? He was playing this, “something is just there Sarah, just off screen distracting me” game all the way through the interview.'
Political Implications
Joyce rejected suggestions that Hanson crossed a line by meeting Robinson. Hanson claimed the meeting did not endorse Robinson's views, but One Nation, founded in the 1990s, positions itself against immigration. The incident has sparked broader debate about political conduct and media tactics.
