BARNABY Joyce's estranged wife says she felt like throwing a brick through the TV while watching an interview with his staffer-turned-partner Vikki Campion.
Natalie Joyce has given an unpaid interview to the Australian Women's Weekly, which was set up before news broke about Mr Joyce and Ms Campion's $150,000 TV deal.
Ms Joyce said the TV interview, which Ms Campion set up to provide a fund for her new son Sebastian, was "an absolute disgrace".
"I wasn't surprised she sold their 'exclusive' story, and certainly not surprised the $150,000 went to her child," Ms Joyce told the magazine.
"But it begs the question, if Barney agreed to be a part of it, how could he allow his four girls to be overlooked?
"In saying that, I wouldn't want a cent of that money. It was all we could do to watch it without throwing a brick at the TV."
Mr Joyce said he clung on to his job as deputy prime minister for two weeks out of "spite", rather than quit and end the political headache for the government.
He pleaded for privacy, but gave the TV interview, campaigned against laws protecting women from harassment outside abortion clinics, and has a book coming out in August.
Ms Joyce told the AWW she had decided to speak up for her four daughters.
"I'm normally a very private person but I knew I had to find my voice. They thought I would lie down, but this time I couldn't," she said.
"I'm doing this so the girls feel empowered, and know their mum stood up and defended our fine name."
Mr Joyce and Ms Campion's relationship came to light in February after months of denials that the cabinet minister was seeing his former media adviser.
AAP
