Julie Bishop dumbfounded by New Zealand counterpart during media conference

It may have been another day of frenzied leadership spill chatter but Julie Bishop was stopped in her tracks for a very different reason during a press conference on Wednesday.

"Did you really just say that?" the Foreign Minister asked her New Zealand counterpart.

The moment came at their joint press conference, just when Ms Bishop thought she had answered the last question and tried to make a quick exit with Winston Peters.

However, Mr Peters wasn't as quick to walk away from the microphone, prompting another question from the gathered press.

Ms Bishop tapped Mr Peters on the shoulder to move him away from the podium, going so far to say with a laugh: "I'm trying to bump you off stage here."

Turning to the press, the politician continued: "We're a tag team, I called last question. I'm so sorry..."

"She's a female, I've got to answer the question," Mr Peters then chimed in, leaving Ms Bishop looking incredulous and asking: "Did you really just say that?"

"I don't want to be like a chauvinist," he responded.

After a brief moment Ms Bishop looked back to the room, adding: "Now you're shaming him into answering your question".

The awkward moment was caught on camera with the pair looking a little tense despite the chuckles between them.

Mr Peters is currently in Australia for talks and also addressed the National Press Club earlier in the day.

Earlier this month Mr Peters, who was in an acting prime minister capacity at the time, came under fire for telling the parliament speaker to "throw fatty out" during a disagreement with an opposition MP, Gerry Brownlee.