Melissa Price 'can't recall' entire conversation with former Kiribati leader

Australia's environment minister says encounter was 'pleasant and light-hearted'

Melissa Price has said she can't "recall the complete conversation" in which three witnesses say she disparaged Pacific nations to the former president of Kiribati but maintains the version provided by Labor's Pat Dodson is incorrect.

Under fire from Labor for misleading the House, the environment minister qualified her remarks that she "100% disagreed" with Dodson by adding in question time on Thursday that she did not recall the entire "very pleasant and light-hearted conversation".