Australian politician Barnaby Joyce caused a stir during a live television interview on Monday when he abruptly yelled at his dog mid-question. The incident occurred while he was being interviewed by ABC News reporter Sarah Ferguson about his party's leadership direction.
What Happened During the Interview
Ferguson asked Joyce whether he was 'comfortable' with where One Nation Party leader Pauline Hanson was taking the party. Joyce began to respond, 'I think…' before shouting 'sit down!' at something off-camera. He then apologized, saying, 'Sorry, it’s the dog.' After an awkward chuckle, he attempted to answer but was interrupted again when pressed on policy. Joyce said, 'I have to apologise about the dog,' prompting Ferguson to tell him not to 'worry about the dog' and to 'just answer the question.' Joyce retorted, 'Don’t be rude. Otherwise, this interview will come to a grinding halt.'
Context of the Interview
Joyce appeared on the program after Pauline Hanson faced criticism for a trip to the UK where she met Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist and convicted criminal. Joyce rejected suggestions that Hanson had crossed a line by meeting Robinson, who is also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Hanson claimed the meeting did not indicate endorsement of his views, though One Nation, founded in the 1990s, opposes immigration.
Online Reaction and Speculation
The clip quickly went viral on social media, with viewers divided over Joyce's treatment of the dog. Liz Allen wrote on X, 'You can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat animals.' Chris Fitzgerald added, 'Never trust a person who treats animals poorly.' Erica Campbell called it 'weird,' while Sam Clench said it was 'not a normal way to talk to your dog.' Azlancat commented, 'You yell at your dog like that on camera, what will you be like when you’re off it? Awful.' Others joked, like Cheryl Allderladd, who said, 'Angry man yells at invisible dog to think up an answer.'
Many suggested the dog was not real, as no barks could be heard in the clip, and accused Joyce of 'deflecting.' Political commentator Ronni Salt said, 'Barnaby is a very old hand at the media game – a cunning, experienced player. He was asked an extremely difficult question by Ferguson and his eyes darted around, thinking. Then next thing, voila, suddenly a dog is on the scene.' Salt added that Joyce played a game of 'something is just there Sarah, just off screen distracting me' throughout the interview.
Joyce's Explanation
Joyce later claimed he has a 'staffy-border collie cross' who was 'barking incessantly' during the interview from under the deck. When the interview ended, Ferguson quipped that the dog had been 'no problem,' but Joyce replied, 'It was to me.'
