A television advertisement suggesting the MP competing against Barnaby Joyce for the seat of New England in 2016 was cheating on his wife has resurfaced.
The short clip, dubbed a ‘grubby’ attack on former independent MP Tony Windsor, shows two female friends chatting over coffee before one received a ‘sext’.
Twitter users have leaped at the opportunity to point out the notable irony, following recent revelations of Mr Joyce’s affair with his former staffer, Vikki Campion, 33.
The short clip, dubbed a ‘grubby’ attack on former independent MP Tony Windsor (pictured), shows two female friends chatting over coffee before one received a ‘sext’
In a suggestive post shared on Friday, political scientist Heath Pickering uploaded the video, complete with a subtle jab aimed at the disgraced Nationals Party leader.
‘Barnaby Joyce’s ‘grubby’ attack ad against Tony Windsor from 2016 campaign, implying Windsor is a cheating husband,’ he wrote.
‘I’ll just leave this here … #auspol #auspolbarnaby.’
At the time, Mr Windsor said the ‘gutter’ advertisement was a ‘new low’ for political campaigning and revealed it had ‘deeply upset’ his wife.
In the clip, two female friends can be seen catching up over a coffee – when this woman gets a text from Tony Windsor
The video shows the two women discussing whether one of them should take her husband, Mr Windsor, back after finding out he ‘cheated’.
‘He wants me to take him back,’ the blonde woman says. Her friend then shoots a disapproving glance.
‘Well… it was OK, for a time I guess.’
‘Yeah, but then he ran off with Julia’.
Following the 2010 election stalemate, Mr Windsor backed Labor leader Julia Gillard to form government, rather than the Coalition.
The advertisement continues with the coffee-sippers agreeing the woman was better off without Mr Windsor. She replies with: ‘Not this time, Tony’.
Mr Windsor said it ‘inferred philandering with women’, while Nationals NSW director Nathan Quigley said the advertisement was ‘clearly tongue in cheek’.
On Tuesday, Mr Joyce apologised to his estranged wife, Natalie, daughters, pregnant partner Vikki Campion, Coalition MPs and voters, for his ‘dreadful’ actions.
Two days later, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed a rewrite of the ministerial code of conduct which formally bans relationships between ministers and their staff.
Mr Joyce (pictured, right) has refused to bow to mounting pressure to step down over his affair with pregnant former staffer Vikki Campion (pictured, left)
On Thursday it was announced Mr Joyce would not take over as Acting Prime Minister during Malcolm Turnbull ‘s trip to the US next week (pictured is Vikki Campion)
‘I do not care whether they are married or single, I don’t care. They must not have sexual relations with their staff, that’s it,’ Mr Turnbull said.
‘Barnaby made a shocking error of judgement in having affair with a young woman in his own office. In doing so he has set off a world of woe for those women before all of us. Our hearts go out to them.’
The prime minister on Friday said his deputy was considering his position, but he had not asked him to resign.
Mr Joyce said he did not believe people should resign in any job because of personal issues.