Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has taken personal leave, effective immediately, and will not return to Parliament until August.
The extended leave was announced six weeks after the birth of Mr Joyce and his partner Vikki Campion's baby boy, and just before the couple features in a controversial tell-all interview on Channel Seven that will reportedly earn the pair $150,000.
Labor has agreed to "pair" Mr Joyce's vote in the House of Representatives, meaning the former deputy prime minister's absence will not jeopardise the Coalition's slim one-seat majority.
Nationals frontbencher Darren Chester, who recently said elected MPs should not accept payment for interviews, said he "respected" his former leader for taking leave.
"Obviously he's been under a fair bit of stress in the last six or 12 months, and he's taking some time with his family, so I can understand that," Mr Chester told ABC Radio.
Nationals whip Michelle Landry confirmed Mr Joyce came to her on Tuesday and requested the immediate leave.
"Leave of this nature is routinely approved. We all look forward to the Member for New England re-joining us after his period of leave," she said.
Mr Joyce technically only has leave until the end of June, but Parliament is not scheduled to sit in July so he will not return until August.
Nationals backbencher Andrew Broad said Mr Joyce had been through "a pretty harrowing time".
"If he needs some leave, give him some leave, leave him alone, and hopefully he'll come back and contribute to the direction of the country in his time," he said.
Attorney-General Christian Porter repeated the response from others in the Turnbull cabinet that he personally would not accept money for an interview while serving as an elected member, but would not comment on the decision to take leave.
"I can't possibly make those sort of personal judgements. I'm not a counsellor. It's not for me to say," Mr Porter said.
Channel Seven has already started promoting its 'Sunday Night' interview with Ms Campion and Mr Joyce.
In the clip, Ms Campion defended falling in love with Mr Joyce when she was working as his media adviser.
“I couldn’t help it. You can’t help who you fall in love with,” Ms Campion said.
The couple welcomed their son, Sebastian, in April. The money from the interview will be held in an independent trust fund for Sebastian, Mr Joyce said.
Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion (pictured) sold their story to Channel Seven. Source: Channel Seven/Sunday Night
Mr Joyce said it was Ms Campion's decision to accept payment and that he would not have asked for any money if the interview was only with him.
"If it was just an interview with me as a politician, sure, I am not going to charge for that," he told The Australian.
"But that is not what they wanted, they wanted an interview obviously to get Vikki's side of the story and like most mothers she said: 'Seeing as I am being screwed over and there are drones and everything over my house in the last fortnight, paparazzi waiting for me, if everybody else is making money then [I am] going to make money out of it," he said.
Vikki Campion holds baby Sebastian while Barnaby Joyce looks on. Source: 7 News
Mr Joyce has come under fire for selling his story, with Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer saying "most Australians are pretty disgusted by it".
"Ultimately it's a matter for him and his judgment. I personally wouldn't do it, I don't think it's right, and I think most Australians are pretty disgusted by it," Ms O'Dwyer told ABC radio.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would privately discuss the issue with his former deputy.
“It has been very widely criticised. I will no doubt have the opportunity to talk about it with Barnaby privately but it is certainly not a course of action I would have encouraged him to take, I will put it that way,” Mr Turnbull told a Tasmanian radio station.
The controversial interview has sparked calls for a ban on serving politicians receiving cash for media comment.
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