Act appalled by Benson-Pope's return 

Act leader Rodney Hide says the return of David Benson-Pope to cabinet before being cleared by the police is appalling.

Benson-Pope stepped down last month after being accused in parliament of bullying students when he was a teacher in Dunedin.

On Tuesday Hide asked the Speaker to consider whether Benson-Pope had misled the house when he denied the allegations in the parliament.

Speaker Margaret Wilson found there was no case to answer, which cleared the way for his return to cabinet, but not to his former role as associate education minister.

Hide says it is a shocking decision.

Benson-Pope though said he was pleased to be returning to his work in the fisheries and associate environment portfolios.

He also released copies of information he has supplied to police regarding the accusations relating to his time as a teacher.

"Up until now a quite distorted picture has been painted of my time as a teacher," said Benson-Pope. "Today I am releasing material which I believe tells quite a different story."

Meanwhile, a New Zealand First MP and former teacher says he has been warned that someone is contacting his ex-pupils trying to dig the dirt on him.

Brian Donnelly says he was contacted by a former student warning him about phone-calls he had been getting.

Donnelly says it is a sign of what is shaping up to be a dirty election campaign.