Australian MP Barnaby Joyce yelled at his dog to 'sit down' during a live ABC interview on Monday night, overshadowing his attempt to defend One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's controversial European tour.
Interview derailed by dog
Joyce, a former deputy prime minister who defected to the right-wing One Nation party in December, appeared on ABC's 7.30 programme to address Hanson's 'working holiday' in Europe. However, the interview took an unexpected turn when his dog Stella began barking.
Midway through the tense exchange, host Sarah Ferguson pressed Joyce on whether his defection was 'dragging him further into a place of intolerance and racial discrimination.' As Joyce's eyes darted off-screen, he suddenly yelled, 'Sit down!' before apologizing, 'Sorry. It’s the dog.'
Confrontation with presenter
When Ferguson urged him to 'just answer the question,' Joyce retorted, 'Don’t be rude. Otherwise, this interview will come to a grinding halt.' The exchange highlighted the MP's combative style, which has often drawn attention.
Joyce later told Guardian Australia that Stella, a 'staffy-border collie cross,' had been 'barking incessantly' under the deck where he stood for the interview. The incident quickly went viral, drawing international headlines.
Pauline Hanson's European tour
Hanson, a populist hard-right figure likened to Nigel Farage, had been vacationing in Italy with mining billionaire Gina Rinehart, speaking at a conservative conference in London, and appearing on a podcast with far-right agitator Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson. Her itinerary generated widespread criticism and gaffes, which Joyce was tasked with defending.
Joyce's history of viral moments
This is not the first time Joyce has made news for dog-related incidents. In 2015, as agriculture minister, he forced Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard to film an apology for illegally bringing their dogs, Pistol and Boo, into Australia, violating strict biosecurity laws.
Joyce, who has represented the New South Wales electorate of New England since 2013 and previously served as a senator for Queensland, is no stranger to controversy. In 2024, Daily Mail Australia published footage of him lying face-up on a Canberra pavement at night, uttering profanities during a phone call. In 2019, he posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) captioned 'Merry Christmas,' where he declared being 'sick of the government in my life' while discussing climate change.
Political context
According to the latest Newspoll, One Nation holds about 30% of the primary vote, roughly equal with the center-left Labor party, which currently governs Australia. Joyce's interview aimed to bolster Hanson's image but instead fueled further scrutiny of the party's controversial figures.
