Australia PM says coalition strong amid sex scandal

World
Europe

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his scandal-plagued deputy have held crisis talks in an attempt to shore up their governing coalition.

Later, Turnbull insisted there were "no issues" between the Liberal and National parties in the wake of the sex scandal that has engulfed Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.

"I can assure you that the relations are very strong," the prime minister said at a televised press conference in Melbourne on Sunday, a day after the talks.

"I know there was great excitement in the media that there was some Coalition clash, there are no issues between the Liberal and National parties, at all. None at all."

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. /VCG Photo

Joyce leads the rural-based National Party, the junior partner in the center-right government led by Turnbull's Liberal Party, a political alliance that has existed since 1923.

The coalition rules with a majority of just one seat but relations between the parties have been strained since news broke that Joyce had an extramarital affair with his former press secretary, who is now pregnant.

The scandal prompted the prime minister to ban sexual relationships between ministers and their staff.

Turnbull and Joyce met on Saturday for crisis talks in Sydney which the prime minister described as "frank and warm, friendly, good, constructive."

On Sunday, Australian media reported that senior National Party figures were openly canvassing constituents with a view to removing Joyce from the party leadership.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce sits behind Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, October 24, 2017. /VCG Photo

Veterans Affairs Minister Michael McCormack, a member of the National Party who has been passed over for the leadership, declined to say whether he would challenge for the office.

"I never get too far ahead of myself," he said, neither confirming nor denying whether he would attempt to depose Joyce at a meeting to be held on Monday.

Joyce has refused to resign from office, hitting out at critics, including Turnbull, whom he accused of causing further harm with "inept" comments on Friday.

Source(s): Reuters