Barnaby Joyce says he is being intentionally "stalked" while campaigning in the by-election to retain his NSW seat of New England.
The former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister was confronted by a man in an Inverell hotel on Monday night and was quizzed about his private life, Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday.
Mr Joyce reportedly flicked the man's hat off his head during the confrontation.
"We've had death threats and now we've got stalkers," Mr Joyce said.
"The campaign is becoming dirty and people are sending people around to stalk you.
"That's disappointing, you know. I'll be frank, they're not coming from the Labor Party, they're coming from other people."
A man also confronted him recently in Glen Innes, in the wake of rumours about his personal life.
"I'm going to keep my private issues private," Mr Joyce said.
The former minister, who was forced to resign from parliament over his dual New Zealand citizenship, told constituents in a letter last month they would hear "a lot of other people -- many of whom have nothing to do with our electorate -- making all sorts of misleading claims for political purposes".
"I don't care what they say. My job is to look after you first and foremost," he wrote.
The by-election will be held on Saturday.
