The crisis inside the Federal Government has worsened, with Barnaby Joyce lashing out at Malcolm Turnbull.

Key points: Barnaby Joyce says he will support the ban on sex between ministers and staffers

Barnaby Joyce says he will support the ban on sex between ministers and staffers But says Malcolm Turnbull's comments about affair caused more hurt for his family

But says Malcolm Turnbull's comments about affair caused more hurt for his family Deputy PM wants to get Coalition "back on even keel"

An angry-sounding Mr Joyce accused the PM of making things worse with comments he gave yesterday about the extramarital affair between Mr Joyce and his former staffer Vikki Campion.

Mr Turnbull began an announcement about banning sex between ministers and their staffers by describing Mr Joyce's behaviour as, "a shocking error of judgement" that "set off a world of woe".

Today, the Deputy Prime Minister said the comments caused "further harm" to his family.

"Comments by the Prime Minister yesterday at his press conference … in many instances, they caused further harm. I believe they were in many instances inept and most definitely in many instances unnecessary," he said.

After Mr Joyce's furious outburst, Mr Turnbull has now moved to ease the tension.

He said he had not been criticising the National Party, rather his controversial remarks yesterday were aimed at Mr Joyce's personal conduct.

Mr Turnbull said he stood by his comments about Mr Joyce but would not restate or repeat them today.

He said he had been in touch with Mr Joyce after the Deputy Prime Minister's media comments this morning, but they had not spoken directly.

He refused to comment further on the spat with Mr Joyce.

Treasurer Scott Morrison conceded on Sky News there is a "fair bit of stress at times like this".

Malcolm Turnbull used his announcement on a ministerial sex ban as an opportunity to make clear his disappointment with Barnaby Joyce. ( ABC News: Jed Cooper )

Mr Joyce said earlier that he would support the changes to the ministerial code of conduct, but noted "it goes without saying that this will create immense fodder for the good people in the media".

Mr Turnbull thanked Mr Joyce for his support for the new code of conduct banning sex between ministers and staff.

"There is a need to have more respectful workplaces, consistent with standards that are applied in the business sector and other parts of our community, and so the change that I've made, he has supported," Mr Turnbull said.

He added that Mr Joyce had discussed the changes to the code "in the course of this week".

Not clear how damage can be repaired

Mr Joyce's response to Mr Turnbull's comments from yesterday has put more pressure on the Coalition and the Government.

Mr Joyce said he would work to improve his relationship with Mr Turnbull.

"I am intending to make sure that, like all relationships, this relationship gets back onto an even keel," he said.

But it is not clear how this damage can be repaired, with the Prime Minister yesterday voicing such damning comments about the Nationals leader and today Mr Joyce hitting back in similarly angry terms.

He said Mr Turnbull did not need to make such public commentary about him yesterday, because it was already public knowledge that had run on the front pages of the papers.

"All that is going to do is basically once more pull the scab off for everyone to have a look at," Mr Joyce said.

The Government operates as a coalition between the Liberals and the much smaller National Party.

The dispute between Mr Turnbull and Mr Joyce has jeopardised that.

Mr Joyce told the media the National Party resented being told what to do about its own leadership.

"In regards to the National Party there is nothing we dislike more than implied intervention into the processes of the National Party," he said.

Nationals privately fuming at PM

Many in the Nationals believe Mr Turnbull's remarks yesterday were aimed at forcing Mr Joyce out.

"I would not be making comments or implied comments about the leadership of the Liberal Party and we don't expect to get implied comments about the leadership of the National Party," Mr Joyce said.

Other Nationals are fuming at the situation, privately accusing the PM of having "no f***ing idea how the Nationals work".

Nationals MP Andrew Broad said the party was not going to be pushed by the Prime Minister to sack Barnaby Joyce.

He said he had seen no evidence of abuse of power and suggested it could be seen as a witch hunt over an affair.

And one senior Liberal is also bewildered by Mr Turnbull's comments on Mr Joyce yesterday, describing it as a dangerous move.

It has been a tense week between the PM and his deputy. ( ABC News: Jed Cooper )

But while some in both parties have big concerns about Mr Turnbull's approach, Mr Joyce's provocative response this morning locks the two parties into a nasty stand-off against each other.

Mr Turnbull is in Tasmania and earlier said he had not spoken to Mr Joyce today.

He flies to the United States next week and yesterday announced to Parliament that Mr Joyce would not be acting PM because he would be on leave.

Liberal backbencher Kevin Andrews said Mr Turnbull should cancel his trip to sort out the differences with Mr Joyce.

He told Sky both men need to get together in a man-to-man fashion and said "otherwise this circus is just going to continue".

Coalition 'at war', Bill Shorten says

The bitter words between the two men have shocked some of their MPs.

One said he was "lost for words" to see "open warfare" between the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

Labor leader Bill Shorten also described it as a war.

"The way these two men are behaving, neither of them are fit today for the high office they currently hold," Mr Shorten said.

"Yesterday Mr Turnbull declared war on Mr Joyce.

"Today, Mr Joyce has declared war on Mr Turnbull."

The dispute has exposed the frustrations between the Liberal and National parties.

Some Liberals strongly believe Mr Joyce should resign from the front bench and see his response today as further evidence that he should step aside.

There is a fear that if they can’t find a way to resolve it then an already strained situation will get worse.