Turnbull and Joyce meet to talk it out

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has met with his deputy Barnaby Joyce in Sydney for talks about the coalition leadership crisis threatening to spiral out of control.

The pair met at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices for over an hour earlier on Saturday, where the two leaders discussed comments the prime minister made about Mr Joyce's affair with a former staffer.

Late on Thursday Mr Turnbull said his deputy had made a "shocking error of judgment" by having a relationship with former media adviser Vikki Campion, and humiliated his wife and daughters.

My Joyce described the comments as "inept" and "unnecessary" at his own press conference on Friday.

It is understood Mr Joyce on Saturday indicated his concern was more about the forcefulness of Mr Turnbull's comments, and less about their substance.

Both agreed to move forward in the national interest.