Barnaby Joyce is one of the loud voices currently opposing the bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW.
In recent days, NSW residents have received robocalls from the Nationals MP, urging them to oppose the bill, and claiming it “allows sex selective abortions [and] legalises abortions for any reason right up until the day of birth”.
Joyce, who has no vote on the matter, believes it’s his right as a citizen “to ensure there is a proper ventilation of both sides of this argument”.
Interestingly, however, his daughter Odette Joyce disagrees with him.
The former deputy PM’s youngest daughter posted on social media yesterday making it clear she does not support her father’s conservative approach.
WATCH: Is abortion legal in Australia? Post continues after video.
Odette, 15, shared an SBS article titled “Barnaby Joyce leads Sydney anti-abortion protest” to her Instagram story, adding the text; “Once again, I do not support you.”
It isn’t the first time Odette has hinted a divide with her father, either.
In July 2018, she posted a picture to Instagram of her mum, Barnaby’s now ex-wife Natalie Joyce, standing with her four daughters.
“The real Joyce family #WhosBarnaby,” she captioned the image below.
And a family post featuring Barnaby from 2016 is simply captioned “Rip”.
Barnaby and his wife of 21 years split in 2018 after it was revealed Barnaby had been having an affair with former staffer Vikki Campion. The affair became known when Vikki fell pregnant with the Nationals MP’s child.
After the divorce, Barnaby moved in with Vikki, and the couple now have two sons – Sebastian and Thomas.
Barnaby has four daughters with his first wife; Bridgette, 20, Julia, 19, Caroline, 17, and Odette, 15.
His youngest Odette’s pointed Instagram story this week comes after anti-abortion protests headed by Barnaby saw hoards of people chanting “abort this bill” and “love them both” outside NSW parliament chambers.
The crowds were rallying against the private member’s bill which seeks to remove abortion from the state’s Crimes Act and allows women to end a pregnancy after 22 weeks, with doctors’ approval.
The bill seeks to help women who may be carrying a malformed foetus or a baby that could risk the mother’s life to end their pregnancy after the first trimester.
Barnaby has said amendments to the bill “(are) not a reflection of a civilised society”.
“I am not here to try and espouse a religion. I’m not here saying I’m some saint. I’m here because I’m trying to argue to those people on logic,” he said on Tuesday night.
The bill passed the lower house 59 to 31, but according to reports that Premier Gladys Berejiklian is under immense pressure from conservatives, the upper house debate, which began on Tuesday, may drag into September.
Top Comments
didnt he also speak out against the sale of a drug because it would cause women to become promiscuous?
I am a male & I DO NOT "support" thus buffoon in any way on this subject! What would he do if one of his many daughters was raped, would he still oppose abortion then? I know he is supposed to be catholic (I think), but I do not think he would make her have some rapists baby. As for this oaf saying that under no circumstances would he "allow" a full-term baby to be aborted, this proposed legislation does not even mention anything about full-term abortions! As long a a woman decides to have an abortion before the fetus is 3 months old, there should be nothing stopping a female from having an abortion. It is not up to any one else to "interfere" with her decision, especially if she is considered mentally "normal", in circumstances where a female is classed as mentally disturbed or similar then maybe the choice could be made for that person by a doctor. I think it is past time for this inept, lying. flat earth, supposedly "broke" (WTF??) poor excuse for a real politician to go!
The curious case of Barnaby Joyce.
Joyce proclaimed SSM would destroy the sanctity of marriage, whilst simultaneously having an extra-marital affair with his chief of staff.
But it appears he'll be in Federal politics for another decade at least, considering his primary vote increased to 54.82% at the recent election.