Vikki Campion, wife of Barnaby Joyce, has banned the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) program 7.30 from her property following a viral interview where her husband yelled at their dog. Campion expressed her dissatisfaction with ABC 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson, particularly after Ferguson questioned if the dog, Stella, actually existed.
During a live interview on Monday night from Joyce's farm near Tamworth, Joyce interrupted the discussion to shout "sit down" at Stella, a dog that viewers could neither see nor hear. Campion stated that while Ferguson may not have heard the barking due to noise-canceling audio, she could. She also pointed out that Zoom interview technology can automatically reduce background noise, explaining why the dog's actions were not apparent to the broadcast audience.
Campion wrote in a post on her Substack that while Joyce could handle criticism, she found it inappropriate for Ferguson to question the existence of her dog after conducting the interview within her home. She argued that broadcasters should show more respect for the rural environment from which these interviews are conducted, noting that the farm is subject to natural interferences like wildlife and animal noises.
"We are not in a studio. We don't have a team fussing around us," Campion wrote. "We are on a farm, doing our best to appease the media, where if you don't do the interview you are accused of 'hiding' from transparency and if you do the interview, you are smashed for yelling at a dog at the end of the place to sit down."
Campion clarified that Stella, described as a mostly black dog, was barking at a suspicious passing vehicle in the dark. She suggested that Ferguson did not have to endure the barking but expected Joyce to answer questions despite the distraction without comment.
Joyce, speaking on Tuesday, commented on the incident, stating that Stella still loves him and that reactions to such events differ between rural and inner-city dwellers. He characterized the public reaction as people in the regions finding it amusing while those in the inner city consider it a "war crime."
The interruption occurred as Ferguson was questioning Joyce about his stance on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's proposals for mass deportations. After the initial outburst at the dog, Joyce's interview was again interrupted shortly after by the dog. Ferguson attempted to move past the interruption, saying, "Don't worry about the dog, just answer the question." An annoyed Joyce responded, "Oh, don't be rude. Don't be rude otherwise this interview will come to a grinding halt, Sarah."
Campion suggested that Joyce agreed to the interview because the ABC frequently complains about One Nation's refusal to participate in their interviews. She recounted her own efforts in setting up equipment for media interviews on the farm and stated that "Never again. ABC 7.30 is banned from my property." She indicated that if Joyce wishes to conduct interviews, they should take place in a studio setting in Sydney or Canberra, where the technical conditions are managed, placing him on equal footing with the interviewer.