It's claim and counterclaim between the Government and Opposition as Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett maintains she and her office didn't try to smear Te Puea Marae and its chairman.

Ms Bennett has admitted one of her staff members passed on information to a journalist that the Marae's chair was the subject of a police investigation.

It's lead to accusations that it was a deliberate attempt to undermine the marae's work with the homeless, and fits with a pattern of leaks from her office.

But Ms Bennett rejects that, and is adamant there was no malice involved.

"When I have, I've been totally straight up about the fact that I've done it. So my form is actually to be, if anything, a little bit in people's faces and really open about what I'm doing.

"She assures me that it was not the intention for it to be a smear campaign against Mr Dennis or the marae."

But Labour Leader Andrew Little can't understand why the Minister briefed her staff about the police investigation, saying it was none of their business.

"She's got sensitive information, it's found its way to the media, she's briefed her staff about it - you don't have to go too far to see that this looks like a deliberate smear campaign against Hurimoana Dennis."

Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell doesn't believe it's damaged the marae, and says Ms Bennett has already done all she can to make it right.

"In the end, the staff member's recognised the fault, she's recognised the fault, the minister has offered apologies directly to the person involved. We'll leave it at that."