Labour's Chris Carter is at home today, getting his head and his act together after being sent on stress leave by party leader Phil Goff."I don't need a circus like this," Mr Goff told reporters yesterday after Mr Carter led the media on a chase
Labour's Chris Carter is at home today, getting his head and his act together after being sent on stress leave by party leader Phil Goff.
"I don't need a circus like this," Mr Goff told reporters yesterday after Mr Carter led the media on a chase through Parliament's corridors.
The MP -- one of three demoted because of their credit card spending while they were ministers in the previous government -- was refusing to apologise although he did so later in a written statement.
"I acknowledge that my temperament when under pressure can make me appear as if I am not contrite or embarrassed," Mr Carter said.
"I assure the New Zealand public I am."
Mr Goff said Mr Carter had taken "a minimum step" and still had to prove himself.
The fiasco spoiled what was otherwise a tidy operation for Mr Goff, who came home from a trip to China on Sunday and had to deal with the fallout from the spending scandal.
He demoted Shane Jones, Mita Ririnui and Mr Carter and stripped them of their portfolio responsibilities.
Mr Carter was treated relatively lightly, losing foreign affairs but picking up conservation on a lower caucus ranking.
Mr Jones and Mr Ririnui accepted their punishment.
