Health Minister Sussan Ley has stood aside following pressure over a number of taxpayer-funded flights to the Gold Coast, where she and her partner own property.

Key points: Malcolm Turnbull says Ley will forgo ministerial pay during investigation

Malcolm Turnbull says Ley will forgo ministerial pay during investigation Ms Ley maintains she has not broken any rules

Ms Ley maintains she has not broken any rules Penny Wong says Mr Turnbull's response "weak"

In a statement, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Ms Ley had agreed to "stand aside without ministerial pay" during an investigation by the secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Mr Turnbull said the secretary would "thoroughly investigate the travel claims".

"Australians expect the Government to deal with these serious matters very thoroughly and in accordance with the Statement of Ministerial Standards," he said.

"I expect the highest standards from my ministers in all aspects of their conduct, and especially the expenditure of public money."

Arthur Sinodinos will act as Minister for Health and Aged Care, and Minister for Sport.

Ms Ley told reporters in Albury that the decision to stand aside was a mutual one between herself and the Prime Minister and maintained that she had not broken any rules.

When asked if she had the Prime Minister's full support, she responded that they had held many "friendly" conversations.

She said she did not expect to be forced to stand down permanently.

"I'm very confident that the investigations will demonstrate that no rules were broken whatsoever," she said.

"I have nothing to hide — I have not broken any of the rules."

She described the situation as a "distraction" and said she would not be making her diary public.

"It is not always appropriate for ministers to release all of their diaries," she said.

"My diary is available to be inspected, as I said, by the Department of Finance and the Prime Minister's secretary.

"Will I allow the media access to go on a fishing expedition, perhaps at the cost of confidentiality of some of the both confidential and commercial in-confidence meetings? No, I won't."

'A strong Prime Minister' would have sacked Ley: Wong

Sorry, this video has expired 'A strong Prime Minister' would have sacked Ley, Wong says

Acting Opposition Leader Penny Wong said the response from the Prime Minister was "weak", saying that Mr Turnbull should have removed Ms Ley from Cabinet permanently.

Senator Wong told reporters in Adelaide that it continued a "pattern of behaviour" from Mr Turnbull, citing former ministers Stuart Robert and Mal Brough.

"Both of them were stood aside before they were eventually removed from the frontbench," she said.

"[Ms Ley] ought to have resigned and a strong Prime Minister would have done the right thing and removed her if she refused to resign."

When asked about repayments made by her own colleagues in the past, Senator Wong instead referred to the days of "ridiculous explanations" from Ms Ley.

She did not go so far as to call for reform of the entitlements system, saying a review was underway.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie posted on Twitter that stepping aside was "a start".

He said "many more" politicians were rorting the system and reform was needed.

Senator Nick Xenophon said the current penalties for breaches of entitlement rules were too lenient, and pushed for an independent watchdog.

"Right now, the current rules are like being slapped with a wet piece of lettuce," he said.

Apartment purchase 'neither planned nor anticipated'

Ms Ley also addressed questions around the property she and her partner purchased in May 2015 while travelling to Queensland on ministerial business.

The full cost of their trip was $3,125 — paid for by taxpayers.

Sussan Ley said her partner drew her attention to the Surfers Paradise unit's auction. ( AAP: Scott Bailey )

She said her partner drew her attention to an auction during the trip.

"I inspected this property for the first time maybe 10 minutes before the auction commenced and I registered to bid," she said.

"I had gained pre-approval to purchase an investment property. I had an idea of what I wanted and this apartment fit the bill. So the purchase of this particular property was neither planned nor anticipated.

"I didn't contact the agent about this property, I didn't make inquiries about it, I didn't make any phone calls, I sent no emails."

Ms Ley, a Nigerian-born former pilot, was elected to federal parliament in 2001 and appointed Health Minister in December 2014.

She is one of five women in Cabinet.

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