One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce shouted at his dog during a live interview on ABC Television’s ‘7:30’ program on July 21, 2026 [1, 2].
The incident occurred while the former deputy prime minister was defending One Nation’s immigration policy and addressing a controversial meeting between party leader Pauline Hanson and far-right activist Tommy Robinson [1, 2].
During the broadcast, the interview was interrupted two times by the dog [1]. In a moment that drew significant attention, Joyce said, "Sit down" [1].
Joyce used the appearance to clarify the party's position regarding the meeting with Robinson. He said, "I am defending our immigration policy and making clear that the meeting with Tommy Robinson is not an endorsement of his criminal conduct" [1].
The interview took place in the Sydney studio of the ‘7:30’ program [4]. Joyce sought to distance the party from Robinson's legal history while maintaining the party's broader stance on national borders, and immigration [1, 2].
Despite the tension of the political subject matter, the interruptions by the pet became a focal point of the broadcast. The exchange highlighted the volatile nature of the interview as Joyce addressed questions regarding the alignment of One Nation with international far-right figures [2, 3].
“"Sit down."”
The intersection of a high-stakes political defense and a domestic distraction illustrates the challenges of remote or hybrid broadcasting. More importantly, it underscores One Nation's effort to balance its association with provocative figures like Tommy Robinson with a need to maintain a level of political legitimacy by explicitly disavowing criminal behavior.
