Prime Minister John Key has caused outrage on the left side of the house after accusing them of supporting rapists

Prime Minister John Key says he was "absolutely correct" to accuse the Labour Party of backing rapists, murderers and child molesters, despite official information suggesting he may have overstated the case.

Key sparked walkouts in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday after saying Labour was "backing the rapists", as well as murderers and child molesters, among Kiwi detainees at the Christmas Island detention centre.

However, an official list provided to Justice Minister Amy Adams by Australian officials on Wednesday revealed none of the New Zealanders at Christmas Island had committed murder or rape offences.

FAIRFAX NZ Prime Minister John Key says he does not regret comments made in Parliament about Labour backing rapists, murderers and child molesters.

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Offences committed by those at Christmas Island included manslaughter, indecent treatment or dealings with a child under 16, armed robbery, and assaulting a police officer.

Key told MoreFM he was "absolutely correct" to suggest Labour was backing serious criminals at the detention centres, and did not regret his remarks.

"I'm sorry, but my position is correct - I've stood up for New Zealanders, protecting New Zealanders, and I've stood up for those people in detention centres by getting them a much better deal.

"Fundamentally, the facts are as I've portrayed them: a third of all of these people who are in detention or coming out of prison going into detention have been convicted of sex offending, rape, murder, manslaughter, robbery, grievous bodily harm.

"To sort of make the case somehow that they're a bunch of choirboys unfortunately is not correct."

Key rejected suggestions the Government had not done enough to support detainees, and said it had publicly and privately raised concerns about the detention of Kiwis with Australia since it became aware of the policy.

"What we've done is we've raised it at every opportunity and the first opportunity we've had."