PICTURED: Barnaby Joyce confronts Guy Finlay outside church as Vikki Campion watches

This is the dramatic moment Barnaby Joyce confronted a news photographer who snapped photos of him and his upset partner Vikki Campion outside church.

The pictures can be revealed as the former deputy prime minister on Monday defended his ugly Armidale confrontation with photographer Guy Finlay.  

Mr Joyce claimed Mr Finlay had been ‘hiding in the trees’ waiting for his family, one week after the MP and his lover were paid $150,000 for a TV interview.

The politician claimed ‘private individuals’ like Ms Campion and son Sebatasian deserved stronger privacy laws.  

‘For public figures like myself … I understand you’re a public figure and you’re going to be part of the media,’ Mr Joyce told Channel Seven’s Sunrise program.

‘For private individuals I think they deserved a greater protection so they can live their life un-interfered with and not be harrassed over a long period of time’.  

The veteran photographer claimed Mr Joyce ‘balled his fists and stormed towards me’ – while Ms Campion ‘looked at (Mr Joyce) like he had lost his mind’.  

What are you looking at? Barnaby Joyce and partner Vikki Campion were walking their son Sebastian out of church in Armidale on Sunday when Mr Joyce spotted photographer Guy Finlay

Mr Joyce and Ms Campion only last week sat down with Channel Seven's Sunday night program in exchange for an $150,000 fee. The Nationals MP said the couple did the program to 'stop' media harassment

Mr Joyce and Ms Campion only last week sat down with Channel Seven’s Sunday night program in exchange for an $150,000 fee. The Nationals MP said the couple did the program to ‘stop’ media harassment

Turning the tables: Mr Joyce soon decided to whip his phone out of his pocket and turn its camera on the photographer – filming their uncomfortable altercation 

Mr Finlay claimed to Daily Mail Australia that Vikki Campion looked at Barnaby 'like he had lost his mind' as he confronted the photographer

Mr Finlay claimed to Daily Mail Australia that Vikki Campion looked at Barnaby ‘like he had lost his mind’ as he confronted the photographer

‘He got two metres away from me when I started to think ”hang on he is going to hit me”,’ Mr Finlay told Daily Mail Australia. 

‘So I went back towards the church. ‘Vikki was on the other side of the road with Sebastian in a pram looking at Barnaby like he had lost his mind. 

‘(Vikki) was a journalist. She knows how this works and she should tell Barnaby that,’ he said. 

In the video, Mr Finlay said:  ‘How can you seriously come out of church and size someone up to punch them?

Mr Joyce retorted: ‘I didn’t size you up to punch you … That’s bulls***.’

‘Go back to your regular job as a bouncer,’ Mr Finlay said.

Mr Joyce can be seen following Mr Finlay and repeatedly asked him: ‘What’s your name mate? What’s your name? Why are you walking away mate?’

Mr Finlay declined to give him his name or his employer. 

Another local could then be heard telling Mr Finlay to ‘go to hell’, while Mr Joyce vehemently disputed claims he had been threatening to him.   

Barnaby Joyce's new partner Vikki Campion reportedly 'looked at him like he had lost his mind' as he filmed and confronted a photographer outside a church on Sunday

Barnaby Joyce’s new partner Vikki Campion reportedly ‘looked at him like he had lost his mind’ as he filmed and confronted a photographer outside a church on Sunday

Photographer Guy Finlay, from Sydney, was standing outside a church in Armidale when he claims the former Deputy Prime Minister 'sized him up'

Photographer Guy Finlay, from Sydney, was standing outside a church in Armidale when he claims the former Deputy Prime Minister ‘sized him up’

‘Barnaby can’t do this every time a photographer or news crew see him in the street,’ Mr Finlay told Daily Mail Australia.

‘He needs to control himself – if you were actually punch someone that is breaking the law and you get in trouble for doing that.’

Mr Finlay was sent up to Armidale to photograph Mr Joyce and Ms Campion following their appearance on Sunday Night last week. 

The couple has said the $150,000 will go into a trust to support their newborn baby son, Sebastian.

‘It isn’t a personal thing, it isn’t a stalker thing. I am doing my job, I am trying to support my family,’ Mr Finlay said.

‘It is a supply and demand thing – if he left politics and got a job as a plumber he wouldn’t have this to deal with.’  

The stoush sparked a massive reaction on social media, with many commentators pointing out Mr Joyce had lobbied against ‘safe access zones’ near abortion clinics. 

The NSW Parliament passed a bill last week which will ban protesters from harassing patients in zones near the clinics.  

Barnaby Joyce with Vikki Campion and their newborn baby boy Sebastian

Barnaby Joyce with Vikki Campion and their newborn baby boy Sebastian

 

 

 



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