Updated March 04, 2017 15:30:45

In an interview described as a "train wreck" by Labor, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce was caught seemingly unaware of his Government's release of private information to correct public statements.

However, he's not the first politician to slip up or be caught unaware of policy during a media appearance.

Look back on some memorable media gaffes from recent years.

Tony Abbott talking about digger's death

In 2011, then opposition leader Tony Abbott accused Channel Seven of trying to create a "media circus" over a video showing him discussing the circumstances surrounding the death of a digger in Afghanistan.

In the video, he is seen saying to a US commander: "Well, sometimes shit happens, doesn't it?"

He later defended his comments, saying they were taken out of context and that he would never try and make light of the death of an Australian soldier.

Polls are a 'dime a dozen', says Emma Husar after brief gloat

Newly elected Labor MP Emma Husar called a media conference last November to draw attention to opinion polls showing the Government's approval rating dropping.

However, the same polls also showed Opposition Leader Bill Shorten trailing behind Malcolm Turnbull as preferred prime minister.

When that fact was pointed out to Ms Husar by a reporter, she backtracked and said polls are a "dime a dozen" and that she doesn't put "too much weight" in any of them.

'Sorry, can we go to another question?': Ricky Muir

Back in 2014, the newly elected Ricky Muir of the Motoring Enthusiasts Party was unable to answer several questions during a TV interview with Channel Seven.

One of the questions posed to the then-senator-elect was to define the "aftermarket" automobile industry — a concept he had repeatedly referred to in the past.

Jaymes Diaz names one point of six-point policy question

Liberal Party candidate Jaymes Diaz was ridiculed for failing to detail the Coalition's asylum seeker policy in an interview with Channel Ten's John Hill in the lead-up to the 2013 federal election.

At one point during the interview, he said the Coalition had a "six-point plan" to stop boat arrivals.

But when asked what the six points were — more than five times by Hill — he could not explain much more than "stop the boats".

Kim Beazley's thoughts with the wrong Rove

In a slip-up that prompted speculation of a leadership challenge, in 2006, then-Labor leader Kim Beazley tried to give his condolences to Rove McManus after his wife passed away.

However, he confused the TV presenter and comedian with White House adviser Karl Rove.

Mr Beazley later apologised for the mix-up, and said he wrote personally to McManus to say sorry.

Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, journalism, australia

First posted March 04, 2017 15:13:34