Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce offered to resign over a leaked text message in which he called Prime Minister Scott Morrison “a hypocrite and a liar” but was knocked back.
The text, published by Nine newspapers, was sent from Mr Joyce on March 22, 2021 to a third party who passed the message on to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.
It came a month after Ms Higgins went public with allegations she was raped in a ministerial office at parliament house in 2019.
“Tell BH (Brittany Higgins) I and Scott, he is Scott to me until I have to recognise his office, don’t get along,” a screenshot of the text reads.
“He is a hypocrite and a liar from my observations and that is over a long time. I have never trusted him and I dislike how he earnestly rearranges the truth to a lie.”
Mr Joyce was a backbencher at the time but returned to the Nationals leadership three months later after defeating Michael McCormack in a spill.
Speaking to the media in Sydney on Saturday morning, the deputy prime minister publicly apologised to Mr Morrison and affirmed he trusted him.
“My view from the backbench about the prime minister was based on assumption and commentary, not from a one on one working relationship,” Mr Joyce said.
“From a one on one working relationship, I found a man who has honoured every agreement that he’s made with me and who I have noted has honoured every agreement that he’s made with others from both sides of the political fence.”
Mr Joyce said he was made aware the text was circulating among third parties this week and immediately called Mr Morrison to apologise.
“He accepted my apology. I offered my resignation and he did not accept my resignation,” he said.
Mr Joyce admits the text message is damaging to Mr Morrison but does not believe it will dent the coalition’s chances of winning a fourth term in government.
In a statement, Mr Morrison said he understood Mr Joyce was in a “different headspace last year” and believes he “genuinely no longer feels this way”.
The prime minister added relationships “change over time”, “politicians are humans beings too” and “none of us are perfect”.
“Since coming to the role of DPM (deputy prime minister), it is fair to say that we both positively surprised each other. We were never close before this and never pretended to be,” Mr Morrison said.
It follows the Nationals leader attacking a Liberal cabinet minister who leaked damaging text messages labelling the prime minister a “horrible, horrible person” who was “actively spreading lies”.
Mr Joyce said the text exchange between the minister and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian should be ignored because of the leaker’s intention to deliberately damage the government.
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