Questions have been raised about whether Prime Minister John Key should have accepted Heather Roy's resignation as a minister without knowing the reason for it.Mrs Roy's adviser, lawyer and former Act MP Stephen Franks, has confirmed there was a bust-up b
Questions have been raised about whether Prime Minister John Key should have accepted Heather Roy's resignation as a minister without knowing the reason for it.
Mrs Roy's adviser, lawyer and former Act MP Stephen Franks, has confirmed there was a bust-up between Act party leader Rodney Hide taking a defence document from Mrs Roy's office.
Mr Hide would not say yesterday why the deputy leader lost her position that led to her resigning her ministerial portfolios.
Mr Franks confirmed Mrs Roy had gone to Ministerial Services over Mr Hide taking a draft document marked as restricted from her office.
Mrs Roy was concerned about her accountability once the document was taken out of her room, he said.
A spokesman for Prime Minister John Key said he was made aware of the complaint.
"He was made aware of the fAct a complaint was made to Ministerial Services and it was found there was no substance to it and we don't hold any concerns about this."
Labour leader Phil Goff believed Mr Key should "probe the reason" Mrs Roy left, and make it public.
"We see the bizarre comment that Rodney Hide was apparently rifling through defence papers in the Associate Minister of Defence's office ...t his is public business, New Zealanders have a right to know why Heather Roy was sacked."
The public deserved to know whether she was sacked for protecting the integrity of documents she was responsible for, he said.
There was an unhealthy pattern of ministers being sacked without the public being told why, Mr Goff said, referring to National minister Richard Worth.
He said there was nothing to have prevented Mrs Roy remaining a minister despite no longer being Act's deputy leader.
Mr Franks said Mrs Roy had considered that possibility.
Act MP Sir Roger Douglas told NZPA he voted for Mrs Roy in caucus yesterday and still supported her.
"I think all the caucus will be standing behind Heather and supporting her, a decision was made (yesterday) in terms in of deputy leadership but the caucus members are bound to support one another."
Sir Roger said he believed Mrs Roy would return to Parliament after her two weeks' leave. However, he refused to comment on the disagreement over a defence report.
The Act party is factionalised and has been plagued by tensions. Mrs Roy has been seen as undermining Mr Hide and last year she was accused of working with Sir Roger against his leadership.
Mr Franks said it was not true Mrs Roy had ever sought to oust Mr Hide as leader and he believed it was his insecurity that led to her demotion.
After yesterday's crisis caucus, first-term MP John Boscawen replaced Mrs Roy as deputy and took over her consumer affairs portfolio and an associate commerce role previously held by Mr Hide.
Mrs Roy immediately resigned her ministerial portfolios and went on two weeks' leave.
Act is in Parliament only because Mr Hide holds the Epsom electorate, which meant the party did not have to reach the normal threshold of 5% support.
