National leader Simon Bridges says it is essential that he is in Wellington as the leader of the opposition during the coronavirus crisis, defending a large commute from Tauranga to the capital.

Bridges is the chair of the Epidemic Response Select Committee, the select committee which has taken the place of Parliament during the level 4 lockdown.

Most of the MPs on the committee as well as its submitters are dialling in online over teleconferencing software Zoom but Bridges has travelled to Wellington for the three-day sittings, appearing in Parliament in one of Bowen House's committee rooms.

This has necessitated driving from his home in Tauranga to Wellington and then back again, leading to questions around whether Bridges could be harming efforts to keep all domestic travel to a minimum.

Bridges told media on Tuesday he is an essential worker as the leader of the opposition, and that this meant more than just chairing the committee.

He said there was "no comparison" between his situation and that of Health Minister David Clark, who offered his resignation to the Prime Minister after admitting driving 20km for a walk on a beach.

"I'm not just here as committee chair I'm also here as the leader of the opposition when there is no Parliament," Bridges said.

He said the "resources and focus" that came from him being actually in Wellington were of use - as was the opportunity to talk to the parliamentary press gallery.

Bridges said it was not practicable for him to completely relocate to Wellington, as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has. (Ardern has the use of Premier House, the official home of the Prime Minister.)

On Monday evening Bridges told Newstalk ZB that "about 50 per cent of the time my internet doesn't work" - but he said on Tuesday that this wasn't the main reason he was commuting.

"That is not remotely the biggest factor here," Bridges said.

National MPs Shane Reti and Louise Upston appeared in Parliament during the first week of hearings but were at home for the beginning of the second.

Ardern declined to comment when asked about Bridges on Monday.

"I have not made—and it's not for me to make—a determination as to how the Leader of the Opposition determines himself when we're dealing with essential services, but what was important to me is that we made sure people could participate from their homes. "

"Ultimately, we've set up a select committee arrangement that has given flexibility to MPs to practise the guidance that has been put out by the Ministry of Health in alert level 4. ...It's up to those members of Parliament to choose how they engage with that committee."