Opposition leader Bill English is standing by the National MP who taught spies in China, although he could not say why Jian Yang was removed from the foreign affairs select committee.
MP Jian Yang returned to Parliament, after confirming in early September that he taught 'spies' in China, although he denied that he is a spy himself.
At the time, then-prime minister Mr English said Dr Yang had done nothing wrong, saying he never tried to hide the fact he had military training.
Speaking to Morning Report today, he stood by Mr Yang and said he was comfortable with his MP's background.
"The test of this, as a member of parliament, has he carried out his functions? and the answer to that is yes, and in quite a satisfactory way."
Watch Bill English's full interview with Guyon Espiner here:
Mr English said he did not know why Mr Yang was removed from the foreign affairs select committee and could not say if there was a connection to the public revelations about Mr Yang's past.
He would also not be drawn on whether Mr Yang did teach spies before he became New Zealand citizen, even though the MP admitted this earlier.
"That's a matter for him to discuss, I'm not going to say whether he did or didn't."
Mr English also told Morning Report today that he did not think the Todd Barclay affair was ever a big issue in the public's mind.
The police announced yesterday that after re-investigating allegations the former Clutha-Southland National MP secretly recorded a staff member, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges.
Mr English said that was the end of the matter.
"I don't think that was ever that big in the public's mind. It was just a very unfortunate set of circumstances, just a personal dispute that got out of hand. But it's now been thoroughly looked at by twice by the police, and the matter is over."
Mr English said his party in opposition would be critical of the new government, but positive about what the country could achieve.
