Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne stands by a review of the school curriculum despite the involvement of an academic suspended for a series of racist emails.
University of Sydney poetry professor Barry Spurr was suspended last week over the messages in which he described Prime Minister Tony Abbott as an "Abo lover" and former South African president Nelson Mandela as a "darkie", as well as lashing out at "Mussies" and "chinky-poos".
Labor says Professor Spurr's contribution to a review of the national curriculum means it is now tainted.
But Mr Pyne accused someone of leaking the emails to sabotage the government's school reforms.
"I don't endorse the remarks that he made in those emails," he told Sky News on Sunday.
"But it doesn't mean that the review of the curriculum has in any way been traduced.
"The review of the national curriculum is a very good review and it is being widely supported."
Mr Pyne released the curriculum review last week, which recommended a decluttered, parent-friendly and back to basics approach.
The review was critical of the demonisation of Western civilisation and Australia's Judeo-Christian heritage in the curriculum, and called for the focus on indigenous history and Asian studies to be scaled back.
Prof Spurr defended his email comments, claiming they were part of a "whimsical linguistic game" where he and a colleague would try and outdo each other with extreme statements.
