Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett has revealed she told "three or four" of her staff about the police investigation into Te Puea marae's chairman Hurimoana Dennis.
Ms Bennett refused to say if the staffer who attended the meeting where Mr Dennis raised the police investigation was the same one who leaked it to media.
It was another day under fire for Ms Bennett.
On Tuesday the Opposition was calling for Ms Bennett's resignation after it was revealed her staff member shared information with media about Te Puea marae chair Hurimoana Dennis.
It was information Mr Dennis shared with Ms Bennett at a private meeting at an Auckland café.
Today in Parliament Labour leader Andrew Little asked the Prime Minister if it was in keeping with his standards for ministers for "Paula Bennett's office to smear a marae for doing what she has failed to do, namely helping homeless families".
John Key said the Government had made it clear that it didn't condone the actions of the staff member.
Ms Bennett says she's "gutted" the staff member let slip the information to a journalist and today she's carried on in that vein, calling it a "grave error of judgement".
A spokesperson for the marae has told media they believe the leak to be a smear against the work they're doing in helping the homeless.
Ms Bennett says that's not the case.
"I've sought assurances from the staff member that the leak wasn't an attempt to smear Mr Dennis, and I'm confident it wasn't.
"I've accepted her apology, I've accepted her assurances and from there we're moving on."
She isn't sure whether the journalist or staff member raised it but says that's not important.
"It just shouldn't have happened."
Newshub.
