I am not going to escalate this situation, my resolve is to make sure we get our relationship back on track I am not going to let this issue get in the way of that.

It was an ALP staffer ... [who got in touch with Hipkins].

My last conversation with Bill Shorten was when he called to congratulate me. We have had no conversation about any of these issues and matter.

From my perspective we have made it clear this shouldn’t have happened, but ultimately it was questions raised by the media that caused this situation, rather than questions by us so I wanted to make it clear our level of involvement because we have been implicated far beyond what we should have been.

[Hipkins] certainly knows that what he did was wrong and has apologised many times. I have apologised many times.

When you are talking about the future of MPs, it is a heightened environment and I absolutely accept that. It is very important from my perspective that we convey our involvement and that I convey that what has happened here is unacceptable.

I don’t believe [the ALP staffer] worked for Bill Shorten

Australia and New Zealand historically have had to deal with issues of this scale. I have absolute faith that we will be able to maintain our important relationship.