Peter Dutton responds to footage of Barnaby Joyce lying on footpath

Comedian Melanie Bracewell has poked fun at Barnaby Joyce after video footage emerged showing the politician lying on his back on a public footpath after a late night out in Canberra.

The Cheap Seats host posted a witty side-by-side off her draped across the red carpet in a floor length gown after the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards on Thursday night.

It comes as members of the public begin to post their own reactions to the shocking incident, which has labelled “disturbing” and “sexist” by senior political leaders.

Earlier, Peter Dutton defended Mr Joyce after he was caught on video and criticized passersby for not checking on the MP’s welfare.

“It’s pretty rough when people are walking past somebody who might need support,” Mr Dutton told Sky News on Sunday.

“But I’ll have a chat with Barnaby this week and [as you said] said David Littleproud spoke with Barnaby … as well this week and that’s where the situation is out at the moment.”

The Nationals frontbencher, who has since brushed off the video first obtained by Daily Mail Australia as “embarrassing”, said he had fallen over a planter after walking home from a late night parliamentary function.

“While on the phone I sat on the edge of a plant box, fell over, kept talking on the phone, and very animatedly was referring to myself for having fallen over,” Mr Joyce told news.com.au.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the situation was a matter for the opposition to deal with and called for Mr Joyce explain his behaviour to the public.

“I know that people will have their fun with it, but from a personal point of view – I don’t like to see anyone in that state. I find it a little disturbing,” Dr Chalmers told Sky News on Sunday.

“I’m not going to take shots at Barnaby about it. He needs to explain it.

Coalition treasury spokesman Angus Taylor urged against people “jumping to conclusions” and acknowledged concerns about Mr Joyce’s wellbeing.

“He clearly wasn’t [okay] and that’s something we’re going to focus on – and we should focus on that. But the jumping to conclusions we’ve seen is a bit of a habit in the modern world,” Mr Taylor told ABC on Sunday.

Independent Lidia Thorpe labelled the reaction to the video “sexist” after she faced a wave of backlash after being filmed outside of a strip club in Melbourne’s inner north in April last year.

“Parliament is still a private school boys club, and this is the latest example of the double standards we see from men in power,” she told news.com.au.

Originally published as Channel 10 comedian posts hilarious reaction to Barnaby Joyce lying on footpath