Barnaby Joyce has had to deny that he asked a businessman friend to pay for the rent on his Armidale apartment, after Labor launched a move to have him sacked as Deputy Prime Minister.

Key points: The Deputy PM is living in a house in Armidale that is owned by a friend, paying no rent

The Deputy PM is living in a house in Armidale that is owned by a friend, paying no rent Labor said he asked for a place to live for free, which breaches ministerial standards because it's a gift

Labor said he asked for a place to live for free, which breaches ministerial standards because it's a gift Mr Joyce denies asking his friend for free accommodation; notes he's still paying for a property for his estranged wife and their daughters

In Parliament, the Opposition accused Mr Joyce of breaching ministerial standards by asking for a place to live and receiving the gift of six months' free rent, which is worth about $12,000.

Mr Joyce updated his parliamentary register to show that he had been given free use of an apartment in Armidale, but did not reveal that it was donated by one of his friends, businessman Greg Maguire.

Labor put a motion forward in Parliament for Mr Joyce to be sacked because it said he had asked for the use of the apartment and it argued the code means ministers "must not seek or encourage any form of gift in their personal capacity".

The motion was defeated 73 votes to 70, but it prompted an extraordinary explanation of the specific personal circumstances from the Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr Joyce defended himself, saying he offered to pay for the rent on the apartment but his friend would not accept it.

He denied asking Mr Maguire for help and insisted Mr Maguire approached him.

Mr Joyce said Mr Maguire described him as "living out of a suitcase".

He insisted Mr Maguire rejected his offer to pay rent "because it was between mates".

"Most people would realise that at the time of a marriage break-up, it is not unusual for those who you are close to to offer support," Mr Joyce said.

Recent newspaper reports quoted Mr Maguire as saying Mr Joyce approached him for a place to stay.

But Mr Joyce told Parliament that Mr Maguire and other people approached him with offers of help.

He said it happened when he was not a Member of Parliament because of the High Court's ruling on his citizenship.

"After it became apparent with the deliberations of the High Court that I was no longer a Member of Parliament, and had to stand [at a by-election], I went through the process of being endorsed," Mr Joyce said.

"It was at that time that Mr Maguire approached me, as did many other friends, approached me, to offer support."

Staff sought out accommodation for Joyce before by-election

The ABC has been told Mr Joyce's campaign staff were looking for accommodation for him during the by-election and made numerous calls to various people and real estate agents.

Staff showed Mr Joyce some of those real estate options.

One Nationals source close to the campaign spoke to Mr Maguire to enquire about accommodation.

The source said Mr Maguire told him he had some apartments available and would suss them out.

The two spoke a "few times" after that, but the final "offer and acceptance" was left to Mr Joyce and Mr Maguire.

It is not clear whether Mr Joyce or Mr Maguire made the first contact.

Mr Maguire was not available for comment.

The New England by-election was just beginning when the apartment was secured.

Mr Joyce had been living on and off with his sister until he took possession of the townhouse.

Mr Joyce said he was a private citizen, not an MP or a minister, indicating the code of ministerial conduct was irrelevant.

"I believe that I did everything that I believe was fully transparent," Mr Joyce said.

"At the time, it was said that because it's from a personal friend that you're not obliged to declare it. I said I wanted to declare it because I wanted to be fully transparent on the issue."

He disputed descriptions of the property as a luxury apartment, saying it was simply an apartment.

Mr Joyce also told Parliament he does pay for another house, which is the one where his wife and daughters live in Tamworth.

He announced in December he is separated from his wife and this week confirmed he has a new partner.

Sorry, this video has expired Barnaby Joyce publicly confirmed his new relationship on Tuesday and apologised for hurt caused by the affair.

Government insists no rules or laws were broken

Senior members of the Coalition have defended Mr Joyce, with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton saying Mr Joyce acted immorally, but that he had not broken the law.

Mr Dutton told Sydney radio station 2GB he felt for Mr Joyce's wife and family.

But he said it was up to the Nationals to decide who leads them.

"The whole situation is a mess of his making, he admits that," Mr Dutton said.

"Has he broken the law? No. Has he acted immorally? Yes."

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said Mr Joyce had complied with all the rules and that everything had been open and transparent.

"He has complied with all the rules — that's the assurance he's provided both privately to the Prime Minister and publicly now in the Parliament," Senator Cormann said.

"He didn't seek this gift, it was offered to him, and he offered to pay rent.

"Incidentally this arrangement was entered into when he was neither a minister nor a member of parliament, and it's all been properly declared so that's really all there is to it."