A snap debate on privacy breaches at the Ministry of Social Development's got very personal.

The department's Minister, Paula Bennett, described security flaws at WINZ information kiosks as unacceptable and mortifying and has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

She's been under attack by opposition parties for the failure that's happened on her watch.

Paula Bennett's hit back at her critics and has taken particular exception to heckling from Labour MP Lianne Dalziel and calls for her to resign.

"Should we talk about who should give their resignation? When that member had to when she had to when she lied in unison, which is the actual reality of it. So, I suppose she's personally experienced of what that means to lie, but I have not."

The Greens are suggesting the Social Development Minister's crying crocodile tears over privacy breaches committed by her ministry.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei is challenging Ms Bennett's claims of concern about the mistake, given the case where the Minister released details about beneficiaries.

"This is a Minister who is leading the privacy breaches in her own ministry. She has set the standard for the Ministry of Social Development to not care, and to have no respect for the people whose information is kept."

And Paula Bennett's playing down allegations it was her office that revealed the name of the person who found the WINZ privacy breach.

Ira Bailey's been named as the person who brought the issue to media attention - it's alleged Paula Bennett's office leaked his name to media, given a staffer looked at his Linkedin profile.

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Privacy breach debate gets personal