Barnaby Joyce yelled at his dog during a live TV interview, and people are wondering why

Australia's former deputy prime minister shouted at his dog during an interview, surprising viewers and quickly becoming a viral moment online.

Published 21 July 2026 324 words
CULTURE B1
Barnaby Joyce yelled at his dog during a live TV interview, and people are wondering why

Barnaby Joyce, a former deputy prime minister of Australia, was recently on a live television interview with the ABC's 7.30 program. He was speaking remotely from his home when the interview took an unexpected turn. He suddenly shouted at his dog off-screen.

The interview was mainly about his leader, Pauline Hanson, and her recent trip to Europe. Hanson had met with Tommy Robinson, a controversial figure, and this meeting had caused some debate. Joyce was trying to defend Hanson’s actions, but the interviewer, Sarah Ferguson, questioned if he was comfortable with the direction Hanson was taking their political party, One Nation.

During this part of the interview, Joyce's eyes moved away from the camera. He then suddenly yelled, 'SIT DOWN!'. He quickly apologised, explaining it was his dog. He then continued to talk about his party's poll results, avoiding the interviewer's question.

The interviewer asked him not to worry about the dog and to answer her question. Joyce responded by saying, 'Don't be rude. Otherwise, this interview will come to a grinding halt.' He later apologised again for the interruption.

This unusual moment became very popular online, with many people sharing the video. It happened at a difficult time for One Nation, as Hanson has faced criticism for her European trip and some past comments. The party is also dealing with scrutiny over its policies and members' views. This viral dog incident happened while the party is performing well in opinion polls.

Vocabulary

unexpected turn — a change in a situation that was not expected
controversial — causing strong disagreement or disapproval
defend — to try to protect someone or something from criticism
interviewer — a person who asks questions in an interview
poll results — the numbers that show the level of public opinion or support
apologised — said sorry for something wrong that you have done
criticism — the act of showing disapproval of someone or something
scrutiny — close examination or study of something

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think Barnaby Joyce yelled at his dog during the interview?
  2. How might this viral moment affect the public's view of Barnaby Joyce and One Nation?
  3. Do you think politicians should be interviewed from their homes, and what are the potential problems?

Based on an article from The Guardian.

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