Key won't budge on Worth

Prime Minister John Key is refusing to say why he sacked Richard Worth, on the grounds that the former MP is now a member of the public.

Dr Worth resigned as minister of internal affairs on June 3, after Mr Key told him he no longer had confidence in him, and announced on Friday he had resigned from Parliament as well.

He was surrounded by scandals involving an Indian woman who said he harassed her with text messages and phone calls, and a Korean woman who has laid a complaint with the police over allegations of a sexual nature.

Dr Worth has said he is innocent of any breach of the law, and Mr Key has never disclosed exactly why he was sacked.

Under intense questioning at his post-cabinet press conference today, Mr Key said he was not going to go any further.

"Richard Worth is now a member of the public, he isn't a Member of Parliament, he's not a member of the National caucus and he's not part of the executive," Mr Key said.

"For me, it is a chapter closed and I'm moving on."

Persistent questioning failed to change his mind, although Mr Key did say the reason for his loss of confidence in Dr Worth was "nothing of a legal nature".

It has been reported that Dr Worth misled Mr Key over an unspecified incident that might have happened some time ago, and that was sufficient reason for the prime minister to lose confidence in him.

Mr Key said he believed he had acted fairly, firmly and swiftly throughout.

"He lost my confidence, and that's the end of the matter as far as I'm concerned," he said.

"I realise you're not satisfied but as far as I'm concerned I've met the test that is required - he didn't enjoy my confidence."

He did not think that losing a minister would damage the National Party.

"Whenever a minister leaves cabinet it's not the most tidy of situations but I think people can see it for the isolated incident it is," he said.

Mr Key said he might have disclosed his reasons for sacking Dr Worth if he had remained an MP.

The police have started an investigation into the complaint laid by the Korean woman.

- NZPA