Judith Collins is defending her comments blaming child poverty on bad parents.

The Police Minister yesterday blamed a lack of responsibility as being a factor.

Collins told Mike Hosking it's what she calls the usual suspects who are upset with her comments.

"Frankly, Mike, I am in the Papakura electorate, we have kids there who go without meals, we have many kids who do very well and parents who do their best.

"But when the inference is made to me that crime is crime because of child poverty, that is totally unfair to kids and to families who don't have a lot of money. And in this country nobody starves to death - we have obesity as one of our biggest health issues.

"What we do have is some kids miss out on caring parents and we have a lot of people who don't have a lot of money who are really good parents. And I really reject and will always reject the statement or inference that crime in this country is because of poverty. It's utter rubbish. It is about criminality.

"Some kids miss out on caring parents and we have a lot of people who don't have a lot of money who are really good parents, so I really reject and will always reject the statement that crime in this country is because of poverty."