Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says "time will tell" if his deputy leader Barnaby Joyce can survive a recent political scandal over an affair with an ex-staffer.
In an interview with Channel Nine's 60 Minutes, the prime minister again denied any attempt to influence the leadership of the Nationals, despite recently encouraging Mr Joyce to "consider his position".
"Barnaby is - you know - he has explained his situation. He has apologised. Time will tell how that is received," Mr Turnbull said.
"He's a partner in government. He's a minister in my government. He's the deputy prime minister, he's the leader of the Nationals.
"I just want to be very careful because there's been a tendency for people to suggest that I'm trying to influence the Nationals - absolutely not."
In a separate interview with Melbourne's Radio 3AW, Mr Turnbull was asked if Mr Joyce still had the support of the majority of Nationals.
"I don't know," Mr Turnbull said. "He says he does. And others have said he does. These are all matters in the gift of the Nationals party room."
The comments come in the wake of a recent public spat between the prime minister and Mr Joyce, which culminated in the two men holding crisis talks over the stability of the Coalition agreement at the weekend.
Last week, the prime minister labelled Mr Joyce's affair with a former staffer a "shocking error of judgment" and said it had caused a "world of woe".
He went on to announce a ban on ministers having sexual relations with their employees.
On Friday, Mr Joyce hit back, describing the prime minister's comments as "inept" and cautioning Mr Turnbull not to intervene in the Nationals' choice of leader.
Mr Turnbull said the weekend meeting was "warm" and "productive" and said he had no regrets about the sex ban.
He also revealed he had consulted his wife, Lucy Turnbull, about the change to the ministerial code of conduct.
"Lucy absolutely agrees. And who would disagree? Do we think it's a good idea for ministers to have sexual relations with their staff? No? Well why don't we just say so?" Mr Turnbull said.
One Nationals MP slammed the interview, questioning why 60 Minutes did not interview Mr Joyce as well.
"Funny that 60 minutes didn't bother to ask Barnaby Joyce whatever they wanted for tonight's story when he was on the same floor as their film crew in Sydney's Commonwealths (sic) Parliamentary Offices on Friday," George Christensen tweeted.
Mr Joyce promptly retweeted the statement.
