Chris Carter apologises for excessive travel

KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

CHRIS CARTER: Suspended.

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Labour Party leader Phil Goff has accepted demoted MP Chris Carter's apology to taxpayers and colleagues over travel spending, much of which included his partner, when he was a minister.

Mr Carter said he regretted the amount of travel he did and also regretted taking his partner Peter Kaiser with him as often as he did.

The MP was placed on stress leave by Labour leader Phil Goff last week after reacting badly to questions about his credit card spending and travel while he was a minister.

Mr Goff did not accept that previous statements by Mr Carter showed enough contrition over his spending, which included flowers for his partner and massages while overseas on Cabinet business.

At a press conference in Wellington today, Mr Carter admitted he initially did not believe he had done anything wrong but now realised he had travelled too much as a minister.

At a press conference in his Mt Roskill electoral office, Mr Goff said he believed Mr Carter's apology today was genuine and he would reinstate him to the ethnic affairs and conservation portfolios.

"I think that he was feeling, really, the pressure and the stress of last week, that's only human," he said.

"I think he has had time to consider, to take advice from friends, to come to the conclusion that his behaviour last week wasn't acceptable and to make a genuine apology, and I believe he's done that."

The MP said he regretted that "my travel was excessive and I regret the number of times I took my partner and for that I apologise to the taxpayers of New Zealand and to my colleagues in the Labour Party who have had to deal with this issue this week".

He also retracted his earlier accusations that criticism about his travel was because he was gay, saying: "I haven't handled this issue very well and the gay issue and the accusations around that were part of it".

When asked again if he still believed he was targeted because he was gay, Mr Carter responded: "No I wasn't."

Mr Carter insisted that every trip he took was worthwhile "but I shouldn't have been so willing to volunteer so often and I went more often than I should have and I took my partner more often than I should have".

He accepted that it was not a good look at a time when "people are struggling to pay their bills."

As education and conservation minister Mr Carter was among the most well travelled of Labour ministers, at a cost to taxpayers of over $100,000 in one six month period.

He appears to have taken his partner on every trip he did as a minister.

Mr Carter confirmed that he would be back at Parliament next week and also confirmed that he would be standing at the next election. He had the support of his electorate committee to do so.

He admitted that he fronted up today after Mr Goff and others asked him to but insisted his apology was sincere.

He also accepted that he handled questions badly earlier this month when he refused to stop for journalists questions.

- © Fairfax NZ News