A 74-year-old man has pleaded guilty to sending a bullet to Barnaby Joyce during the New England by-election.
Neville Newman entered the plea in Armidale Local Court on Monday after he was charged with one count of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend and one count of stalking or intimidation.
The bullet was sent in an envelope which was opened by a staff member in Mr Joyce's Tamworth electorate office in early November last year, NSW police have previously said.
Mr Joyce at the time said he was disappointed his six-week re-election campaign had been dogged by stalkers and threats.
"We're now starting to see in Australia rather serious threats, and not just pretend threats - and that's just an incredible disappointment for all of us," he said.
"It's not something I thought we'd ever have to deal with in our nation."
Newman is expected to be sentenced in the same court on April 23.
He will remain on bail on the condition he does not contact any state or federal MPs or their associates.
Mr Joyce was forced to re-contest his seat after the High Court ruled he was ineligible to sit in parliament because he was a dual citizen. His father was born in New Zealand.
The deputy prime minister is now embroiled in a fresh controversy following revelations he's expecting a baby with his former media advisor, 33-year-old Vikki Campion.
Rumours of the affair surfaced during the New England campaign but weren't publicly confirmed until last week.
After winning back his seat Mr Joyce told federal parliament his 24-year marriage was over. Ms Campion's baby is due in April.
Australian Associated Press
