The Member for New England confirmed he asked his one-time political staffer to marry him at a Coffs Harbour restaurant on Sunday.

The couple share two children, three-year-old Sebastian and Thomas, aged two.

Their relationship was publicly revealed four years ago when a pregnant Ms Campion was photographed crossing the road in 2018.

Mr Joyce told Guardian Australia Ms Campion said yes, and they were both "very happy". He proposed with a Parti Sapphire ring, with the stone from New England.

"She is really happy, I am really happy and I guess the boys are happy, but they are just the same, no change there really," he said.

He said that if Campion had said no, "I would still be at Latitude 30 getting smashed".

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After a very public affair, a failed marriage, a resignation, sexual harassment claims he categorically denies as "spurious and defamatory" and a reinstatement, Mr Joyce told The Northern Daily Leader he doesn't care if the public likes him or not.

"I've probably come back to the batting crease as a veteran player," he says, "I don't pretend to be as fit as a 20-year-old but I'm 20 times more cunning.

"In a funny way I take it as a little bit of a badge of honour.

"As you've seen from the way I have lived my political life: a) I don't want to be liked by everybody and b) I don't mind if I lose my job."