Seems the govt believes all was ok with the special job for
Ms Campion because she was not considered to be Barnaby’s partner.
"PM's office says Vikki Campion jobs did not breach rules because she was not Barnaby Joyce's 'partner'
James Massola
Adam Gartrell
Malcolm Turnbull's office has rejected claims Barnaby Joyce breached the ministerial code of conduct when his lover was employed by fellow MPs, arguing Vikki Campion could not be considered the Deputy Prime Minister's "partner" at the time.
Ms Campion left Mr Joyce's employ in April last year when their affair - which ultimately ended his 24-year marriage - began creating tensions in the office.
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Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
The 33-year-old was then given a new well-paid role with Resources Minister Matt Canavan, a close ally and fellow former staffer of Mr Joyce. Reports have suggested the job carried a salary of about $190,000 a year. When Senator Canavan stood aside over dual citizenship doubts in 2017, Ms Campion then moved to the office of then-chief Nationals whip Damian Drum.
But the ministerial code of conduct makes it clear partners cannot be employed by any other minister without an explicit prime ministerial go-ahead.
Section 2.23 of the code states a minister’s "close relatives and partners are not to be appointed to positions in their ministerial or electorate offices and must not be employed in the offices of other members of the executive government without the Prime Minister’s express approval"."
