Tragic hero or national embarrassment? How locals feel about the Barnaby video

Mr Joyce told the Leader he has not put in an application to take personal leave despite National Party leader David Littleproud urging him to.

"I don't take advice from people in Canberra. I take advice from my wife, my close friends, and my local GP. I do not listen to the views of people in this crazy boarding school they call parliament," Mr Joyce said.

The Leader took to the streets to ask locals how they feel about the maverick MP's display of public drunkenness.

What we found was a wide range of concern, support, outrage, and indifference.

Tamworth local Elizabeth Pearson told the Leader she didn't vote for Mr Joyce and doesn't always agree with his politics, but she sees why he'd feel the need to drown a sorrow or two at the pub.

"In Canberra there's a lot of pressure. It's a really tough workplace and we can understand that he wants to relax at the end of the day and have a drink," Ms Pearson said.

When asked about whether she thinks Mr Joyce should temporarily step down, Ms Pearson said the important thing to remember is that politicians are people, too.

"I hope that David Littleproud is genuinely supporting Barnaby and not using his personal struggles to politically undermine him," she said.

"It's up to us to judge Barnaby on his political performance at election time."

Charly Wilson says he thinks Mr Joyce is being held to a double standard, and that politicians should get their own house in order before criticising others for their behaviour.

"They all get into [drugs and alcohol] when they shouldn't do. The media has just singled out this one bloke," Mr Wilson said.

"If he was doing it while he's supposed to be making decisions that's one thing, but what he does in his own personal time is his business."

Prime minister Anthony Albanese recently slapped down a suggestion that federal politicians should be subjected to random alcohol testing while sitting in parliament.

As for whether Mr Joyce needs some time off, Mr Wilson said he thinks his MP should be the one to make that assessment for himself.

"I don't know his situation. If he's got problems then yeah, he needs some time off, but if all it's just because he got on the grog and fell off a planter box there's 100 other people doing that on any given night," he said.

Frida Sharpie says the February 7 video was "shameful," but isn't enough to change her stance on supporting the politician.

She said Mr Joyce's late-night display of public drunkenness was "outrageous" and she expects more of him as an elected MP, but he's ultimately "a good guy doing his best like the rest of us".

"I think if he works his way through it he can overcome this," Ms Sharpie said.

She said Mr Joyce still has her support for the next election.

Tamworth tradesman Daniel Castle said there's a lot to like about Mr Joyce, but his history of drama and political scandals is making him a hard candidate to get behind.

"When stuff like that gets broadcast around the world, it doesn't look very good for the Australian image and the National party in general," Mr Castle said.

"In my personal opinion, he should step down until he gets himself sorted, and if he's going to come back and do the same things all over again I think he should find another avenue of work to pursue."

The local tradie said he wouldn't vote for Mr Joyce if an election was held tomorrow, in part because of the scandal but also because he's "not impressed" with what he sees as a weak reaction to an "invasion" of renewable energy projects in the electorate.

Helena Skipper told the Leader she doesn't really care about the political drama.

She said she's dealing with skyrocketing rent and grocery bills, so she barely has any time to worry about the latest political scandal.

The local woman just wants life to improve for people in Mr Joyce's electorate.

"If I could speak to Barnaby Joyce I'd tell him to focus more on the roads in the district to make it safer for everyone to drive without worrying about their cars falling apart," Ms Skipper said.

Mr Joyce told the Leader he was "very humbled" to hear that many people in New England are still staunchly supportive even after the video's emergence.

"I'd like to thank people immensely for their support and apologise for the fact that this has arrived in the public realm," he said.

"As I said, I am on a medication that shouldn't be mixed with alcohol. I was foolish enough to do that and the consequences are there for all to see. I don't make any excuses for it."

Parliament will be on break next week and Mr Joyce says he's excited to get out of Canberra.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to the electorate and doing the best work I can."