Awkward moment Scott Morrison goes in for hug with Jacinda Ardern while she tries to shake his hand

Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern have shared an awkward embrace as they met at a memorial for those killed in the Christchurch mosque terror attacks.

Ms Ardern greeted Mr Morrison as he arrived in Christchurch for the memorial service held on Friday.

The New Zealand Prime Minister offered her hand out to shake that of her Australian counterpart, but Mr Morrison went in for a long hug instead.  

The encounter was in contrast to Ms Adern’s interview with The Project host Waleed Aly earlier in the week. Ms Ardern asked Aly if she could have a hug before the pair sat down for an emotional interview. 

The New Zealand Prime Minister offered to shake her Australian counterpart’s hand but Mr Morrison went in for a long hug instead

The encounter was in contrast to Ms Adern’s interview with The Project host Waleed Aly broadcast earlier in the week (pictured)

‘I know that might sound strange,’ she told the TV host, who had travelled to New Zealand to speak with her in the wake of the attacks on March 15.

Ms Ardern’s interview with Aly was far less contentious than his with Mr Morrison was just days earlier.

Tensions between the two men reached boiling point during their discussion on The Project, with Mr Morrison accusing Aly of conducting a smear campaign against him.

Aly spoke about comments Mr Morrison allegedly made regarding using anti-Muslim sentiment to win points with voters during a shadow cabinet meeting in 2010.

Mr Morrison has vehemently denied the claim and said it had damaged his reputation with the Islamic community.

‘You implied Muslims couldn’t feel safe because they had a PM who had somehow been prejudiced against them and I don’t believe that’s true,’ Mr Morrison said. 

Mr Morrison and Ms Ardern did eventually share a handshake (pictured left)

Ms Ardern’s (pictured) interview with Aly was far less contentious than his with Mr Morrison was just days earlier 

‘Can’t you see that what you’re suggesting is at complete odds with the experience that I have been involved in over the last ten years of my public life?’ 

Mr Morrison said that as shadow immigration minister, he raised concerns about anti-Muslim sentiment and wanted them addressed.

‘I was acknowledging there were fears, and we had to address them. Not exploit them.

‘I was shadow immigration minister at the time and I was very concerned about these issues and the way people were feeling in the community. 

Aly had referenced a 2011 report in the Sydney Morning Herald to make the claim, which Mr Morrison called a smear and a lie earlier in the week.

But The Project host challenged Mr Morrison’s claim that the report was not valid.

Tensions between the two men reached boiling point during their discussion on The Project, with Mr Morrison accusing Aly of conducting a smear campaign against him 

‘Can you tell me who was lying?’ Aly asked.

Mr Morrison responded that it could have been anyone who spoke to a journalist at the time with the intention to smear him, and questioned the credibility of the sources.

‘You talk about people who have been on the record,’ Aly said.

‘There is at least one saying it did happen, you have multiple journalists, reporting multiple sources.’ 

Both men attempted to take control of the interview.

‘I feel like it is very difficult to get through a sentence at the moment,’ Aly said to a fired-up Mr Morrison. 

Aly’s interview with Ms Ardern was a stark contrast to his earlier discussion with the Australian Prime Minister on Thursday (pictured)