Natalie Joyce feels “deceived and hurt”.
The estranged wife of Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has shared her sadness in the wake of news her husband of 24 years, and the father of her four daughters, is expecting a child with his current partner and former media advisor, 33-year-old Vikki Campion.
“This situation is devastating on many fronts,” she said, in a statement published by The Australian. “For my girls who are affected by the family breakdown and for me as a wife… who placed my own career on hold to support Barnaby through his political life.”
Natalie said her family life had been extensively shared during her husband’s career, and campaign and office staff were often invited into their home – a reality that left her feeling “deceived” by the actions of Barnaby and Campion.
She added that she was “deeply saddened” to hear that “this affair has been going on for many months and started when [Ms Campion] was a paid employee”.
How must that feel? To give up so much – to put another person’s ambition before your own – only to be bitterly disappointed by the person you sacrificed it for?
Listen: Jessie Stephens and Mia Freedman discuss all things Barnaby Joyce – including his new partner, his wife’s comments and the hypocrisy of it all. Post continues after audio.
Natalie Joyce met Barnaby while she was studying education at the University of New England, and went on to marry him just a few years after graduating, in 1993. Today, she’s listed as a student support teacher at McCarthy Catholic College in Tamworth, although it was reported in 2009 that at one point, she worked as a part-time administrative officer within her husband’s office.
Top Comments
Thank you so very much for acknowledging us, the silent ones, who in many ways remain silenced as the profound grief and pain we are living through is not palatable for most.
This blog and much that I hear and read shows our ignorance on infidelity and in many cases it’s traunatic impact on others.
Many will find it hard to believe but you can be in a regular solid marriage , and it can happen. It happened to us.
Myself, our children, friends and family were in shock, in my case for months.
I was one of those mums who stayed at home , although working part time in jobs that allowed for flexibility . My husband travelled the world for most of his career and because it was so very important to him I didn’t feel I had the right as a loving and supportive partner to say : enough. Although he did try to cut back, and each new job would apparently require less travel but it never actually happened. He felt important and special as he climbed the corporate ladder but at home he was just a husband and father who was absent a lot - in mind and body. No special attention here. Just resentment at selfish choices. I was probably. “ the nagger’ as someone labeled Thorburn.
And then my husband office closed, he was unhappily working from home when not traveling. This allowed a secret relationship with a junior work colleague to flourish. And his redundancy was around the corner, his identity was threatened, he felt unfulfilled........and never said a thing.
And we are left while they feel entitled to their quest for a soulmate. They really think they deserve it. And how they can turn away from their kids. They are hurting. Our family is now broken.
Deceit, selfishness, cowardice, adolescent regression cannot be compartmentaised. This must surely flow into their work.
Did Barnaby not see this?
I have sacrificed my career to support my husbands. I haven’t left my job altogether but I work on a locum basis (health professional). If push came to shove I believe I could pick up my career again to support myself and my children. However, if I was working in it full steam ahead right now I know I would be in a much higher, much better paid position. The decision to stay mostly at home wasn’t expected of me but it made the most sense as my husband was earning 3 times as much money plus other benefits. I believe many in my position would have made a similar decision. I love my partner but I’m not an idiot, at the end of the day I know that we all must be able to support ourselves and although I know it won’t happen, it would be naive of me to think it could never happen (that my partner could leave). What I tell myself is that the time I have been able to spend with my kids while they’re young is something i could never regret and if suddenly I found myself alone, I would probably resent my husband but at the same time I would be content knowing that the time I had with my children was invaluable and I think that would get me through.