The former Warrnambool MP has blasted the actions of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the wake of the scandal involving Barnaby Joyce and his staff member Vikki Campion.

“I find it extraordinary that they would try to regulate the activities of someone in their private life,” Mr McGrath said.

“It seems like it was probably a knee-jerk reaction.”

Mr McGrath said he was puzzled about how it would be policed and said he believed Mr Barnaby’s private life should be off limits.

He said he was also disappointed how the issue had been handled by the Prime Minister and the National Party.

Mr McGrath said his party should sort it out “behind closed doors”.

“They need to all get in a room and sort it out,” he said.

“We’ve always been a tight ship and that’s what they need to do.”

Mr McGrath said the public stouch between Mr Joyce and Mr Turnbull was also not helpful for either party.

“I think him (Joyce) and the PM throwing barbs at each other is great fodder for the media, but it’s silly,” he said.

Mr McGrath said he believed the media had become overly intrusive when it came to the private lives of politicians.

“It’s very different now from when I was in public life,” he said.

“I think back then the media would have understood the boundaries of what’s personal and what’s not.

“I think in some instances the media goes too far.”

Mr McGrath said he believed social media allowed people to make allegations about politicians without revealing this name.

He said this put pressure on media outlets to investigate these claims.

Mr Joyce has ignored calls to step down from his role as deputy prime minister.

"I've been in heaps of fights in my political life, this is another one, in any person's political career you aren't created by the times in your favour, you're tempered by the times of adversity,” he said.

“That's how politics works - you rise to deal with it.

"My colleagues support me.

“We have a job to do"