National loses its first minister

We've had the first ministerial resignation from the National Government this morning, with the sudden departure of Richard Worth. (Update below.)

The former Minister of Internal Affairs apparently resigned his warrants last night and the Governor-General has been told. Maurice Williamson has been handed his porfolios in the meantime.

So far we're not being told why he has resigned, beyond saying that it is "for personal reasons'' involving "private matters''. Both Worth and Prime Minister John Key are refusing to comment further.

I'm afraid that's not going to be sufficient. I think the public deserves to know why Worth, who has been plagued by bad publicity and minor scandal since assuming office, has suddenly quit.

It's possible it's for health reasons. If that's the case, the Government simply needs to say so, although I think if that was all it was we would already have been told that.

The Prime Minister has just called a news conference for 10.45am to answer questions on Worth, although we're being told he won't be able to say too much.

It seems pretty clear, then, that his resignation must relate in some way to his ministerial duties rather than a personal tragedy. I certainly hope so.

Worth hasn't had a good run as a minister. He failed to alert Key to a clear conflict of interest over his private business trip to India, where he solicited business for a company he had some indirect involvement with through a joint venture.

Worth had numerous shareholdings that he took some time to disclose publicly and then to resign from, and seemed unaware of the convention that ministers don't hold private directorships while in office, and should park up their shareholdings.

Key had put him on a final warning a while ago, saying if anything else came to light or if he found Worth had misled him for any reason then he would be down the road.

This morning Key said in a statement that Worth had "advised me of some private matters in respect of which he felt it appropriate that he should resign as a minister''.

That kind of sounds like Worth's private business dealings may have tripped him up again, although he has also been given two weeks' leave from Parliament - which usually indicates some sort of bereavement.

It's all a bit odd, and the announcement seems a little clumsily handled. It seems it knew this was coming, since Worth's press secretary has already changed her cellphone message to say Worth is no longer a minister, and she can't answer any questions.

Whatever the reason, Key has lost his first minister.

UPDATE: Well, I've just returned from a quite extraordinary press conference with John Key.

It took a long time to get any details at all. But it transpires that Key's office was contacted last week by a third party with some information about Worth that relates to a criminal matter. Worth had not told the PM about this matter. The PM confronted Worth, a discussion ensued, and ended with Worth tendering his resignation. Key told us: "If he hadn't resigned I would have sacked him.''

Key told us it was a criminal matter, although Worth hasn't been charged with anything. The police have just released a very short statement saying they are investigating a complaint against a sitting member of Parliament. They do not even name Worth, though the PM has confirmed it is Worth.

What it is Worth is alleged to have done we do not know. However, the PM has said it has nothing to do with Worth's business dealings, or the trip to India. We asked him if the complainant was a woman, or whether it related to any sexual matter, and Key replied: "I am not at liberty to say.''

This doesn't seem to me to be a very sustainable position. Already the internet is full of rumours relating to this police complaint, some of them pretty ugly. I cannot believe neither Worth nor Key wishes to clear this up before it gets out of hand.

Clearly, whatever the allegation is, Key no longer wants him in his administration - regardless of whether or not he is guilty. "I have lost confidence in him for a number of reasons,'' Key told us. He would not say what they were. He also indicated he was unsure whether Worth should even remain an MP.

Given Worth is - or was, until last night, a minister of the Crown pulling $200K-plus, the public deserves a full explanation in my opinion.

Obviously this is a very sensitive matter, but Key has no reason to protect Worth. I'm also surprised the police have been so unforthcoming.