Barnaby Joyce's deputy has finally broken her silence on the scandal that has threatened her boss's leadership, describing his extramarital affair with a staffer as "very human", but also conceding many women feel "unease" about his actions.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bridget McKenzie insisted Mr Joyce's job is not under threat, giving a "rolled gold guarantee" the party room will not dump him.
Senator McKenzie was labelled "The Phantom" by some in the Nationals for waiting more than a week to make a public statement about her leader's affair with media adviser Vikki Campion, a revelation that has battered the party.
National MPs and staffers had expressed concern that she was conspicuously absent from the public defence of Mr Joyce - not issuing a single public statement or consenting to a single media interview on the affair for eight days.
But in an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, she said she was fully supportive of Mr Joyce but had been reluctant to publicly discuss his personal life.
"Honestly, this is a personal situation. And I don't think it's fair for me - whose role is as deputy leader of the National Party and minister in the Turnbull government - to be commentating on someone's personal life," she said.
"I think it's very human. I think he's descibed what occurred in his personal life over the past 18 months or so in his statement this week and I think out of respect for Natalie and the girls I'd like to leave it at that."
But she conceded many in the community - including Nationals-voting women - would be "uncomfortable" with the whole affair.
"There is an unease I think for all of us looking at this as a woman. But I think we also have to recognise that we're realists - these things happen in every family, in every town, in every workplace across the country."
He still "has the full support of the party".
"I have every confidence and I will give you my solid rolled gold guarantee that come tomorrow, come Friday Barnaby Joyce will be leading the National party," she said.
Typically, a deputy will be member of a party leader's praetorian guard; on the frontlines of the fight, doing everything they can to protect the boss.
Earlier, a Nationals MP said it was "untenable" for Senator McKenzie not to speak.
Asked about her disappearance, a senior member of the Nationals party room said it had been noticed. The MP said Senator McKenzie appeared not to know what to do.
"What is she gonna do, defend the girls, and abandon Barnaby? Or defend Barnaby and abandon Natalie and the girls?"
Senator McKenzie was catapulted from the backbench straight into federal cabinet after being elected deputy in December. She is considered a close ally of Nationals MP Darren Chester, who was demoted from cabinet at the same time.
Other Nationals figures say she is a rock solid supporter of Mr Joyce and wants him to hang on. But others say there is no love lost between the pair and she only wants him to hang on so that her job is not imperilled.
The Nationals leader once described Senator McKenzie as a "flash bit of kit" during a late night Senate debate, prompting accusations he was drunk in the chamber. He later apologised.
