John Key has again staked his job on his claim that the super spy agency GCSB isn't carrying out mass surveillance of Kiwis.

Recent reporting based on documents from former NSA worker Edward Snowden revealed that New Zealand's spy agencies were using "full take collection" to monitor friendly nations in the Pacific. 

But Labour leader Andrew Little says the Prime Minister hasn't fully explained what's going on and he has to explain claims that our emails and phone calls have been hoovered up by the spies.

"It's like knicking someone's mail - you might not open it, but you've got their mail."

"That's the intrusion on the person's privacy, it's the same here."

"He should be clear to New Zealanders whether that's what's happening."

Key, who's in charge of the spy agencies, says the law prevents mass surveillance of Kiwis.

"Unfortunately, you've got a whole bunch of bush lawyers who don't understand the law, who don't understand the terms."

"Hager is anti-American, anti-intelligence agency guy, and so are the Greens."

Last year, Key promised to resign if there was, or had been, mass surveillance of New Zealanders.

Yesterday, he was asked if that promise also applies to mass collection of Kiwis' data by spies

"No, because in the end I was asked a very specific question, and that was if we were conducting mass surveillance of New Zealanders, and the answer is no."