A high-profile Australian MP has been left humiliated after a video showing him lying on a footpath in Canberra went viral on social media.
Barnaby Joyce, who served as deputy Prime Minister under Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, described mixing alcohol with medication as a “big mistake”.
He was filmed lying on the footpath in the Australian capital at 11.36pm on Wednesday.
An onlooker recorded the incident showing the 56-year-old National MP on the phone with his wife.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House
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Joyce, who left his first wife for his young press secretary in 2018, was recorded swearing into his phone.
Australian premier Anthony Albanese initially declined to comment on the footage, saying the opposition MP was experiencing “clearly difficult circumstances”.
However, Albanese later said: “I think that there just needs to be an explanation of what occurred.”
Joyce, who did not attend a later meeting of all opposition MPs, rejected calls for his resignation or demotion.
However, the 56-year-old accepted that it was “not really my decision”.
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PAHe added: “I'm on a prescription drug and they say certain things may happen to you if you drink and they were absolutely 100 per cent right.”
“Obviously, I made a big mistake, there's no excuse for it. It was a very eventful walk home, wasn't it?
“I'm not looking for sympathy and I'm not looking for an excuse.
“I came back, sat on a planter box and I was videotaped.”
Joyce landed himself in hot water in 2018 after Turnbull reacted to his affair by banning ministers from having extra-marital relations with their staff.
The National MP admitted to misleading the former Prime Minister but was left “furious” by the situation, adding: “I didn’t see him as a Prime Minister. I just saw him as an idiot.”
Liberal leader Peter Dutton addressed questions about his coalition colleague
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Liberal leader Peter Dutton confirmed the conservative-leaning coalition spoke to Joyce following the incident.
He said: “It's pretty rough when people are walking past somebody who might need support.”
“But I'll have a chat with Barnaby this week and (Nationals leader) David Littleproud spoke with Barnaby… as well this week and that's where the situation is at the moment.”
National leader David Littleproud added: “This was an error of judgement but there are circumstances surrounding it.
“And obviously, we'll work with Barnaby to make sure that he's got all the support that he needs.
“Barnaby himself has been very clear this is a very embarrassing situation for him, one in which he's deeply embarrassed about, and it's not normal behaviour.”