Key faces more parliamentary trouble over Worth’s “private matter”
The Prime Minister took another grilling from the Labour caucus over his refusal to name the reasons for Dr Richard Worth’s sacking, saying that it remains a “private matter” and will not be revealed to the public.
Dr Worth has faced allegations of a sexual nature against a married Korean business woman that police are investigating, but which Prime Minister John Key denies is the specific reason for his sacking.
Allegations of a sex for favours arrangement with Labour party member and former candidate have also surfaced, but Mr Key remained closed to questions from Labour member Pete Hodgson – leading to an aggressive ‘point of order’ stand off that had to be resolved by the Speaker, Lockwood Smith.
Since the resumption of parliament on Tuesday, Mr Key has faced down two parliamentary oral questions of “Why did he lose confidence in Dr Richard Worth as a Minister?”
Mr Key repeated his answer from yesterday.
Under standing order 3771, Mr Key confirmed that details would not be available as it is a private matter, as is his right as prime minister.
This order is usually used to kill questioning where it may hamper a police enquiry – when asked if this was the case, Mr Key dodged the question.
“That’s possible, but just on a wider basis I do not consider it in the public interest,” he says.
Mr Key told journalists on Monday that the matter wasn’t of a legal nature.
Mr Hodgson pointed out that if the matter wasn’t of a legal nature, then it would not hamper the investigation. On supposed conflict between the two points, Mr Key was dismissive.
“There are a number of factors and I made that clear at the press conference on Monday,” he says.
Mr Key has said that he has given a “broad outline” of why Dr Worth was sacked to his cabinet, reiterating statements made to media on Monday.
Mr Hodgson asked Mr Key if there was anything else substantive he told cabinet that has not been made public.
“I went into a broad discussion, but not specifics,” Mr Key responded.
Mr Hodgson raised the question that he had asked if there was further information available, not what the specifics of the information revealed to cabinet was.
The debate descended into a discussion concerning the standing orders before Mr Smith intervened to ask Mr Key to answer again.
“I was in possession of information which meant that I no longer had confidence in dr worth and that at that point I felt he was unfit to be a minister,” Mr Key says.
Parliament continued a to-and-fro discussion with multiple points of order, before Mr Smith wrapped up the question with little new information on the table.
Dr Worth’s many improprieties mean that focusing on any one issue as the source of Mr Key’s action is difficult, but chances are it will be the culmination of several.
Dr Worth resigned his ministerial posts on 3 June, before resigning from parliament altogether on 12 June. He has since gone to ground and refused to give any further comment, and has hired a PR firm to represent him.
The prime minister has repeatedly asked Dr Worth to come clean concerning the allegations against him.
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Comments and questions5
I am totally fed up with the broken promises, evasive excuses and self-serving compromises of politicians. National sailed into power because the electorate rejected the Clark-Cullen Labour government that had wreaked untold damage on almost every area over which they had control.
Prime Minister John Key has adroitly phased himself into autocratic Helen Clark’s mould, imposing HIS will on the National Party and our country.
The National Party has abandoned “principle” in its policies; elected members are cowed into operating like a collective of yes-men when the Prime Minister mandates. As happened with the Bradford / Clark anti-family, anti-smacking bill. Members shelved their individual consciences, ordered to do as they were told.
The debacle of List member R Worth’s demise, lies totally with John Key’s autocratic handling of the ‘list-ranking’ process. Sitting MPs were excused from justifying themselves, they were pre-emptively promised inclusion into the top 50 list placings.
Before regional voting took place, an instruction was read out advising that the regional MPs should be ranked in the order ALREADY provided BY the National Party leader. A requirement completely against the rules of the party which stipulate that all candidates, inclusive of sitting MPs, are to be treated equally.
What we have are List Members of Parliament largely surrounding John Key, who owe him!
Whatever deeds or omissions resulted in his demotion, Dr. Worth is now out of parliament, and the current furore is merely a media-assisted Labour attempt to embarrass the Government. Remember, Key has NOT signed someone else's work as if it were his; he has NOT accepted a high-speed trip to catch a plane; he has NOT upset the market by illegally advising that some shares were worth keeping. These were all done by a Labour PM.
12:07pm - the stupidity of your comment is matched only by the bias apparent.
Media beat up? Do you honestly expect me to believe that, no matter which side of the fence you sit on, that you don't want to know why the prime minister sacked his staff? It's obviously pretty serious stuff (not including the sexual/criminal allegations)
If Helen Clark had behaved like this you wouldn't know or be able to write your statement:
"Key has NOT signed someone else's work as if it were his; he has NOT accepted a high-speed trip to catch a plane; he has NOT upset the market by illegally advising that some shares were worth keeping. "
as helen would've determined it a "private matter" - as Key has.
Just because worth is out of parliament does not mean its the end of the matter. If he was giving backhanders, or any other unofficial white collar crookedness, then its not just worth thats in it - key is, for letting it go on for so long, or at worst not paying enough attention.
This is the issue.
So shut your mouth next time you want to make absurd, hypocritical statements just because your guy is having a tough time of it.
good grief. use your brain. both sides of it.
Steve J - "12:07 is a munter" - "the stupidity of your comment" - "So shut your mouth " "use your brain"
The quality of your argument is obvious.
By the way - Key didn't dismiss Worth - Worth resigned
you are quite right, but its not like Worth had any choice. Enforced resignation.
And yes i am quite happy to stand by my childish abuse, I'm sick of reading the right wing gibberish that fills up this websites comment sections - all it does is embarass the paper's credibility.
I feel its the only response worth my while :)
So f*ck off to whale oil if you belong to the conspiracy theory "i hate helen cos she's a lesbian trying to undo the fabric of society' club. Make that argument when it suits (if ever) not just because you're so one-eyed you can't criticise your own party.
You embarrass the rest of us on the right.
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