Jacinda Ardern pours cold water on wedding allegations, saying staffer helping as a friend

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has scotched allegations her wedding may have involved inappropriate use of parliamentary resources. Photo / Doug Sherring

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has denied allegations a staffer may have inappropriately used parliamentary resources to help plan her wedding to fiancé Clarke Gayford.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said no parliamentary time or resources were used to plan the wedding, and the staffer was working in her capacity as a long-standing friend.

The Herald on Sunday reported that Ardern's electorate secretary Barbara Ward had been involved in wedding plans, visiting a wedding venue in Gisborne in May and July.

The news was revealed in a story that reported Ardern had cancelled her original choice of wedding venue - the Bushmere Arms, on the outskirts of Gisborne - and had not paid a $5000 cancellation fee.

The owner of the venue, Robin Pierson, said Ardern and Gayford booked the venue two years ago but talks broke down after a stoush over catering by a Kiwi celebrity chef, Peter Gordon.

Low-tax lobby group, the Taxpayer's Union released a statement on Sunday saying that "the Prime Minister is breaking the law in using her taxpayer-funded electorate secretary as a wedding planner".

Union spokesman Jordan Williams said, "no one would object to officials ensuring appropriate security at the Prime Minister's wedding – but having an official involved in the venue and catering is totally unjustified."

Williams said the Union would be writing to the Speaker, Trevor Mallard and the Auditor-General to ask them to investigate.

However, a spokesman for the Prime Minister denied there was any wrongdoing, saying Ward, whose partner is Cabinet minister David Parker, was assisting Ardern and Gayford in her capacity as a friend.

"Barbara Ward is a close friend of the Prime Minister and Clarke Gayford.

"She is helping with their wedding in a personal capacity. Her costs are being met privately and the time involved is either outside of work hours or annual leave," the spokesman said.