Dumped former minister Maurice Williamson still plans to contest the upcoming election for National, despite admitting that calling police about an ongoing prosecution was an "error of judgment".

Williamson was forced to resign yesterday after it emerged he called high-level police officers about an investigation into a Chinese businessman he had links with.

Donghua Liu was arrested in December following a domestic violence incident with his partner and her mother at Auckland's Boulevard Hotel, which Liu owns.

He pleaded guilty to the two charges on April 1, and was released on bail. He is due back in court next month for "monitoring".

In 2010, Williamson lobbied ministerial colleagues heavily on behalf of Liu's citizenship bid. The immigration minister at the time, Nathan Guy, subsequently approved Liu's citizenship, against official advice.

Williamson said he got wind of Liu's arrest early this year and in January called police on his behalf, "to clarify the status".

"I thought that I made it crystal clear [to police] I was simply inquiring as to the status of the matter. It's clear to me now that that [phone call] was an error of judgment," he said.

But Prime Minister John Key has come down hard, saying there was no "grey" area.

"The moment he made the phone call he crossed the line."

The Cabinet Manual states: "Ministers do not involve themselves in deciding whether a person should be prosecuted, or on what charge."

Key refused to say whether he advised Williamson to resign, but said he advised the governor-general to accept Williamson's notice.

Key said his office briefed him about Williamson's phone call late on Tuesday evening.

Opposition parties said it was another case of National ministers helping those who donated to the party.

"Once again we see a National Party minister intervening in relation to someone who has given the National Party money," Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said.

Labour leader David Cunliffe said Key's standards were slipping. "John Key once had high standards for his ministers. The cases of ministers breaking the rules for their friends are mounting up."

Williamson said he was feeling "shattered", with his family in "tatters", after a "pretty gut-wrenching 24 hours or so for my family and my staff".

He had let the people of his electorate down but he hoped to regain their trust and would stand again in the September 20 election, he said.

An email chain released by police shows Williamson's call prompted a review of Liu's case, but had not pressured police into dropping the charges.

Acting Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Grant Nicholls said he was satisfied that staff "acted with best intentions in their interactions with Mr Williamson and the prosecution guidelines were followed in the case".

The emails show Inspector Gary Davey handled Williamson's inquiry, after Superintendent Mike Clement asked him to explain the police position.

Briefing his colleagues afterwards, Davey said Williamson had told him he wanted to ensure police were on "solid ground" because Liu had invested a lot of money in New Zealand.

"He started by saying that in no way was he looking to interfere with the process, he just wanted to make sure somebody had reviewed the matter to ensure we were on solid ground as Mr Liu is investing a lot of money in New Zealand," Davey's email said.

"I also explained the wider responsibility of police to pursue these matters [redacted]."

Key would appoint a new minister outside cabinet early next week.

In the meantime, Housing Minister Nick Smith has taken on Williamson's Building and Construction portfolio, Nathan Guy was handed Land Information, and Simon Bridges took over Customs and Statistics.

WHO IS DONGHUA LIU?

The wealthy businessman from China won residency in 2005 when former Labour associate immigration minister Damien O'Connor approved it against officials' advice.

He was granted citizenship in 2011, this time by National's Immigration Minister Nathan Guy, who again overrode officials' advice after lobbying, including from Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson and from John Banks when he was mayor of Auckland.

Officials grounds for recommending against citizenship were that he did not spend enough time in the country and did not meet the English language test.

It is understood Williamson conducted the citizenship ceremony the next day at his electorate office.

A year later Liu, 53, donated $22,000 to the National Party through one of his companies.

In his own name and that of his companies he owns properties with a total registered valuation of about $30 million.

They include the Boulevard Hotel in Epsom - the first stage of a planned $70m property development. John Key and Williamson attended the opening.

Liu faced domestic violence charges over an incident at the hotel - the matter which prompted Williamson, the MP for Pakuranga, to call the police.

He has pleaded guilty to both charges and is due to be sentenced next month.

- Fairfax Media

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