During a contentious interview on the ABC's "7.30" program, Australian politician Barnaby Joyce abruptly halted the discussion to yell at an unseen dog. The incident occurred while journalist Sarah Ferguson was questioning Joyce about One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's recent European trip and her controversial associations.
Ferguson pressed Joyce on whether his decision to join One Nation in December 2025 was aligning him with "a place of intolerance and racial discrimination." It was at this point that Joyce, who appeared to be in a rural setting, turned away from the camera and shouted, "sit down." He then explained his outburst to Ferguson, stating, "Sorry, it's a dog."
Joyce interrupted the interview a second time shortly after, moving away from a question regarding a manifesto titled 'Mass Deportation' that Hanson had received. He again apologized for the dog's behavior, saying it had "decided to bail up my..." Ferguson cut him off, urging him to continue with the questions. A visibly annoyed Joyce responded, "Oh, don't be rude. Don't be rude otherwise this interview will come to a grinding halt, Sarah."
Ferguson later circled back to the dog incident at the interview's conclusion, stating it had not been a problem. Joyce, however, retorted, "It was to me."
The unusual exchange quickly drew attention on social media, with viewers describing the interview as a "trainwreck" and Joyce as "unhinged." Many users expressed disbelief at the politician's reaction to the off-screen animal.
Earlier in the interview, Ferguson had questioned Joyce about his stance on Hanson's meetings with far-right figures, including anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, and her comments about immigrants. Joyce defended Hanson, suggesting she may not have been fully aware of Robinson's background. He also addressed his earlier comments regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants, proposing that they could be identified through systems like healthcare access or parking fines.
Ferguson also inquired about Joyce's knowledge of mining magnate Gina Rinehart's potential financial support for Hanson, including whether Rinehart paid for Hanson's attendance at a fashion show. Joyce stated he had no knowledge of such arrangements.