Barnaby Joyce has reached out to a journalist to offer an apology after a heated exchange at a press conference, during which Pauline Hanson’s media adviser instructed the journalist to “shut up.”
The incident occurred as One Nation leader Pauline Hanson concluded her press briefing in Adelaide when her media adviser, Richard Henderson, declared there would be no further questions.
“We’re done, thank you. No, no, no. Shut up. We’re done,” Henderson directed at the reporter.
The reporter, taken aback, asked, “Did you just say shut up?”
Henderson confirmed, “Yes, I did tell you to shut up.”
As Hanson walked away with Joyce, she told her adviser: “…you should’ve said you’re the nasty b—h.”
The words caused Joyce and other advisers to laugh, before Hanson said, “Do you want me to go back and I’ll tell her.”
It was unclear who she was referring to.
Joyce told Sky News he called the reporter to apologise on Henderson’s behalf.
“I just don’t know the backstory on it, whatever it is, I’m not quite interested in it to be quite frank,” he said.
”As you know, press conferences are on the balls of your toes and it goes back and forth in, at times, a willing way and, I don’t know, maybe that’s part of the colour of it.
“One thing you can say: One Nation are never boring.”
Joyce admitted that he was also “not purer than thou” and has had run-ins with reporters in the past.
“I’ll give as good as I get. But shouldn’t make a habit of it,” he said.
Hanson has not commented on yesterday’s exchange.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said both Henderson and Hanson’s comments were “not appropriate”.
“Labor is now the only mainstream political party in Australia. We have three right-wing parties all competing against each other and their allies cheering them on,” he said.
“Parties of grievance could only achieve so much, because they don’t put forward a positive agenda. And they need to be held to account as well for their actions and for their policies or lack thereof.”
His actions were questioned by Hanson and the pair had a back-and-forth.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.