By Maeve Bannister

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has revealed he will undergo surgery after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The former deputy prime minister comfortably won his regional NSW seat of New England at the federal election, but revealed his diagnosis after the vote.

Mr Joyce, 58, received the diagnosis following a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

The test came back with an “elevated” result and the subsequent MRI and biopsy revealed the prostate cancer.

He told ABC News he would have an operation on Monday followed by a short stay in hospital.

“Prostate cancer, if you get it early, is very, very treatable; in fact, about 97 per cent successful,” he said.

“If I thought it was very serious, of course I’d resign, but my doctors or surgeons say, ‘You’re very lucky you’ve got it early.'”

Mr Joyce said he kept the diagnosis private to not distract from the election campaign.

“I knew it would turn into a bit of a circus,” he said.

“I wanted the campaign to focus on the campaign and I didn’t think this issue needed to be a part of that.”

Labor had a landslide victory at the election, reducing the coalition to one of their worst performances at the polls and the loss of leader Peter Dutton in the process.

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