Cabinet minister Peter Dutton has been caught out joking about the plight of Pacific island nations facing rising seas from climate change.
Noting that a meeting to discuss the resettlement of refugees was running a bit late on Friday, Mr Dutton quipped that it was running to "Cape York time", to which Prime Minister Tony Abbott replied: "We had a bit of that up in Port Moresby."
Mr Dutton then said: "Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have water lapping at your door."
The pair clearly was not aware the conversation was being picked up by broadcast media microphones at Parliament House where the meeting was being held.
When asked about it later by reporters, Mr Dutton said: "I had a private conversation with the prime minister. I don't intend to comment."
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When pressed, the minister said he didn't have anything more to say.
Mr Abbott attended the Pacific Islands Forum in Port Moresby on Thursday.
