The draft report of Meka Whaitiri's alleged altercation with a former staff member has been leaked to the New Zealand Herald.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is disappointed that the report was leaked and has announced a full investigation into how it happened.
"I'm advised by the Department of Internal Affairs that they themselves will be undertaking an investigation to find how that leak occurred, or how the report came to be leaked."
Ardern dismissed Whaitiri of all of her ministerial roles last week after receiving the draft report about the alleged altercation last month. However, Whaitiri remains the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP and co-chair of the Māori caucus.
"She has been directly elected by the people of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and continues to represent them - my decision was around her holding ministerial warrants."
The alleged altercation between Whaitiri and her press secretary took place in Gisborne at a Crown meeting in late August.
The NZ Herald is reporting the draft report found that on the balance of probability the staff member was approached from behind and grabbed by the arm, which left bruises.
The incident allegedly occurred due to Whaitiri missing out on a media opportunity with the prime minister.
The NZ Herald reports the press secretary as saying in the report the then-minister "grabbed me by the arm and pulled me outside and said she needed to talk to me."
Whaitiri continues to challenge elements of the report and denies physically touching the staff member at any time.
There were no witnesses to the interaction.