
Mr Turnbull was unable to fire Barnaby Joyce as deputy prime minister despite a damaging scandal because only Nationals MPs could choose to replace their boss.
But it hasn't, so he's on the way out and will resign as leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister. The coalition holds a one-seat majority in Parliament.
"This current cacophony of issues has to be put aside", he told reporters. He said he made a decision to quit after the new allegation of sexual harassment emerged on Friday.
"All complaints are taken seriously and treated with the strict confidentiality and given due process", National Party federal director Ben Hindmarsh said in a statement.
"(It has been an) incredible privilege, that I'm so humbled by, to have been the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia", he said.
"Barnaby Joyce is the leader of the National Party of Australia".
Last week a furious Turnbull, who relies on the smaller National Party to govern, savaged Joyce for "a shocking error of judgement", leading his deputy to fire back that the prime minister was "inept".
"Barnaby Joyce has denied the allegation, but it's being investigated", he said.
More news: Donald Trump Jr Arrives In India To Promote Luxury Retail ProjectsThe father-of-four has faced public scrutiny since it was revealed by The Daily Telegraph that Joyce had an affair with Campion, ending his 24-year marriage to his wife, Natalie.
He then went on to say that his resignation comes as Joyce aims to give his party "clean air" and that he will have much more than politics to worry about in a few months' time.
Mr Pitt said his priority was working for his constituents "on announcements and policy, like the cashless debit card, which I've been working tirelessly on to help the vulnerable children in our community".
"We'll leave the domestic political debate to the Americans", Mr Turnbull said.
Two-thirds of Australian voters wanted Joyce to resign, The Australian newspaper's Newspoll showed earlier this week.
The saga prompted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to introduce a ban on sexual relationship between government ministers and their staff, a move that Joyce described as "inept".
"Australians deserve better. The secret Coalition agreement, dealing out positions in the Turnbull government, must be made public".
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