Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s office has denied approving a job transfer for the partner of Barnaby Joyce in May last year, insisting its only role was to forward an email about the controversial appointment.

Amid new questions over the affair, the government confirmed the appointment of Vikki Campion to a new position had been sent through the Prime Minister’s office in May last year to inform another department of the decision.

But Mr Turnbull’s office said this was a “purely administrative” function and did not mean the Prime Minister played any role in authorising or approving Ms Campion’s transfer from the office of Mr Joyce to a different minister.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Fairfax Media revealed yesterday the job transfer had been handled by Mr Turnbull’s senior governance adviser on May 9 to give official clearance to the new role for Ms Campion, who was in a relationship with Mr Joyce at the time.