CANBERRA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce will take personal leave after it was revealed that he is expecting a baby with a former staffer.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Barnaby Joyce, leader of the National Party of Australia, would take leave until February 25.
The decision came after a number of government Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed doubts over Joyce's capability to fill in as acting prime minister when Turnbull is overseas on official business from February 19 to 25.
"The deputy prime minister will be taking leave from Monday 19 February to Sunday 25 February, and accordingly will not be able to be acting prime minister while I'm overseas," Turnbull told parliament on Thursday.
A spokesperson from Joyce's office said he asked for personal leave because "he wanted to support his family and partner after such intense public focus on personal matters."
With Foreign Minister Julie Bishop also overseas, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann will act as prime minister.
Joyce's leave comes as the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) continues its pursuit of him over his extramarital affair with former staffer Vikki Campion, namely over a series of promotions she gained after engaging in a relationship with Joyce and their living situation.
It has been confirmed by Joyce that he and Campion are living in Armidale, a city in Joyce's New South Wales electorate, rent-free at a house owned by a millionaire friend of Joyce's.
The ALP formally put forward a motion in the Senate on Thursday, calling for Joyce's resignation.
ALP Leader Bill Shorten questioned whether Joyce taking leave means he is incapable of doing his job.
