At 2pm on Friday Mr Joyce bowed to the inevitable and finally resigned, quitting the deputy prime ministership and Malcolm Turnbull's frontbench more than two weeks after news that he and his former staffer-turned-partner Vikki Campion are expecting a baby boy.

More damaging to the member for New England were claims Mr Joyce had helped Ms Campion land a high-paying job in the office of his Nationals colleague Matt Canavan after talk of their affair first emerged.

The country-based party will begin the process of choosing a replacement for Mr Joyce as leader at a party room meeting in Canberra at 8am on Monday.

In a statement after Mr Joyce’s resignation announcement, Mr Gee said the absence of the member for New England’s leadership would be felt among Nationals members of parliament.

“It’s a very sad day for the National Party and country Australia,” Mr Gee said.

“It’s particularly difficult because Barnaby was one of the inspirations for me entering politics.”

Earlier on Friday Mr Gee said he would have been forced to refuse support for Mr Joyce had he wished to remain in the deputy prime minister’s office, admitting he wouldn’t “be able to back him” in a Nationals leadership challenge.

In a statement issued on Friday morning, the former member for Orange said “all bets are off” in regards to whether he would support the since deposed leader.

“Until I have clarification regarding some of the issues about Barnaby, I won’t be able to back him but I’m also not in a position to back any challenger,” his earlier statement read.