Just a week after I explained exactly why we shouldn’t be giving Barnaby Joyce airtime to discuss women’s rights and/or political sex scandals, he has again proven my point in last night’s episode of Q&A by refusing to actually respect his female co-panelists right to speak.
At this point, I’m genuinely considering picking up primal screaming as a coping mechanism to deal with Joyce’s utter bullshit.
In Monday’s episode, Joyce was joined by writer Jane Caro and former Labor MP Emma Husar to discuss workplace relationships in high office.
Obviously, Barnaby had his chance to speak, and the rest of the panel respected that and let him share his opinions largely uninterrupted. But unfortunately, Joyce couldn’t give them the same courtesy and it’s really bloody embarrassing.
Joyce, who’s opinions on the appropriateness of workplace relationships should be taken with a *giant* grain of salt, felt the need to interrupt his female co-panelists a whopping 12 times in less than two minutes.
https://twitter.com/financemoneylif/status/1328295932551544832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1328295932551544832%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.com.au%2Ffinance%2Fwork%2Fat-work%2Flet-me-finish-barnaby-joyce-shot-down-by-emma-husar-in-fiery-qa%2Fnews-story%2F20609f60ca86ac7f68a34ef6d4cbc419
Here, take a gander at just a *few* of the clips.
Does personal integrity tend to “vanish” when people find themselves in powerful positions? #QandA pic.twitter.com/PQt0DyXECK
— QandA (@QandA) November 16, 2020
“Barnaby, be quiet!” Husar had to say at one point while he was interrupting Caro.
“It is my turn to talk,” Caro then added in what was a very Kamala Harris v Mike Pence energy.
Honestly, the whole episode was just a shitshow, with Barnaby seemingly attempting to dominate the show, rather than letting the panelists answer questions from the audience, like they’re supposed to.
Is there always a power imbalance in a relationship between an employee and a boss? #QandA pic.twitter.com/WOWo8JCP88
— QandA (@QandA) November 16, 2020
In an incredibly well-articulated answer, Husar explained the stark differences between men and women, particularly in Australian Parliament, who find themselves in this situation.
“It is galling to watch these men continue in their jobs. Continue to go forward and to lead our country, when – you know, in Tudge’s case – he got caught with his pant’s down, Barnaby is the same. The jury is still out on Porter. Mine was all over innuendo. There was a man that was wielding that agenda because I’d fired him,” she said.
“A man who felt privileged, who felt like he was entitled to his job, even though he was underperforming, didn’t get his way in fair work, didn’t get his way when he tried to extort me, so went down the path of – you know, getting the media to be complicit in his actions, which – you know, has had lasting ramifications on my life. And I’ve not worked since.”
Joyce then asserted that he was sorry for the way the Labor Party treated her at the time, but in an iconic move from the former MP, she called him the fuck out for not saying anything at the time.
“You didn‘t call that out at the time, Barnaby. I remember your party and the government of the day weaponising what I was going through. And making it worse,” she clapped back.
After watching Barnaby’s conduct throughout the episode, it’s easy to see why women aren’t too keen on striving for high office positions in our country.
Interrupting these well-educated and articulate women on national television is such a sign of blatant disrespect, as if their thoughts are somehow less important than his own. And if Joyce is happy to do it on-air, it leads me to believe that this sort of behavior probably isn’t exactly rare behind closed doors in Canberra.
Thankfully, Twitter users were quick to point out how disrespectful Joyce’s interruptions were.
.@Barnaby_Joyce – goes on #qanda pretends he supports women, interrupts everyone on the panel, doesn’t listen to what anyone says and then argues against what he thinks they say. Clearly demonstrating he hasn’t listened to anything.
— MissyD (@dgalea) November 16, 2020
The constant interruptions and mansplaining from Barnaby tonight were unbearable #QandA
— Emily (@Emilitaa23) November 16, 2020
Oh SHUT UP, BARNABY. What a loathesome, self-absorbed, obnoxious, self-important, ignorant turd. Stop interrupting.#QandA #auspol
— ✊ 🤬 🐨🌿😷Ruby Tombstone (@RubyTombstone) November 16, 2020
If you can make it through the near-unbearable experience of listening to Barnaby interrupt women for most of the episode, last night’s Q&A was actually a really good watch, with some important and interesting points from Caro and Husar especially.
