Goff sends Carter home to calm down

BY VERNON SMALL

Chris Carter's shadow cabinet ranking is hanging by a thread after he was sent on indefinite leave for behaving badly.

In a day that bordered on farce, Labour leader Phil Goff first raised eyebrows by giving Mr Carter the conservation role as a consolation for demoting him from seven to 13 in party ranking and stripping him of his coveted foreign affairs portfolio.

Within hours yesterday Mr Carter had been sent home after he failed to apologise to Labour MPs for his spending as a minister, and then tried to escape reporters seeking to quiz him.

Sources close to Mr Goff said he expected Mr Carter to remain on leave for a couple of weeks. He would then assess if he was in a state of mind to return.

Mr Goff said he wanted Mr Carter to "calm down" and think about the consequences of his actions. "I'm not happy with his response ... I think he's under stress, he's under pressure.

"He believes his excessive expenditure was small for example in comparison to [National Housing Minister] Phil Heatley, but that's not the issue."

Within half an hour of being stood down, Mr Carter issued a statement unreservedly apologising to the New Zealand public.

"It is clear to me that a public apology is both demanded and required in regard to my expenses when travelling overseas on government business on the taxpayer expense," he said.

The Te Atatu MP said it had been difficult to choose the right words when under pressure from journalists.

"I acknowledge that my temperament when under pressure can make me appear as if I am not contrite or embarrassed. I assure the New Zealand public I am."

In his third press conference of the day, Mr Goff said the apology was "the minimum step that I demanded".

Mr Carter would stay in the conservation role, but he was on notice.

"I have told him he is on leave at my insistence for however long it takes. I expect when he comes back he will have thought through the consequences of his actions and I expect to see a different behaviour."

The Labour reshuffle saw list MP Charles Chauvel, Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson and Tainui MP Nanaia Mahuta emerge as the big winners. Mr Goff demoted Mr Carter, Shane Jones and Mita Ririnui for misusing their ministerial credit cards.

Mr Chauvel picks up the environment portfolio from Mr Jones and moves to a number 12 ranking. Mr Robertson jumps to number 20 and takes tertiary education from Maryan Street, who takes over foreign affairs.

Ms Mahuta gets the energy portfolio and steps up to number 11.

In other changes, list MP David Parker now has the economic development portfolio, senior whip Darren Hughes adds infrastructure to his responsibilities and moves to number 8 in the rankings. Stuart Nash gains forestry from Mr Ririnui.

Mr Jones was demoted from 11 to 21, but Mr Goff said he had made a good start to winning back trust. "He has taken a heavy blow but he will be back on his feet, I believe, in due course. But that's up to Shane equally to prove himself to me, his caucus colleagues and the country."

LABOUR'S RISING STARS

Grant Roberston

The Wellington Central MP has made a splash as the spokesman on state services at a time the public service has come under pressure from spending cuts.

His experience as a diplomat and then adviser in Helen Clark's office gave him an understanding of how Parliament and politics works, and he hit the ground running as a first-term MP.

He brings a background as a student politician to the tertiary education role inherited from Maryan Street.

Seen as on the Left of the party and a future senior minister, if not leadership material.

Uncomfortable with Phil Goff's controversial speech on race and the foreshore and seabed last year.

Sports mad.

Charles Chauvel

The list MP will take the environment portfolio alongside climate change.

Has the background to take a senior role in a future Labour cabinet, including experience as a high-flying lawyer and Meridian Energy board member.

First seen on the media's radar pushing Labour icon Sonja Davies' wheelchair at party functions.

Received criticism for commenting on a noisy child on a flight to Wellington.

Has put behind him a slap-down from former leader Helen Clark when she thought he was getting too ambitious for such a new MP.

Ran UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne close in his Ohariu electorate stronghold, losing by just 1008 votes.

Charming and urbane.

Nanaia Mahuta

The Hauraki-Waikato MP wins a return to the front bench in the energy role.

An effective and well-connected MP with family links to the Tainui leadership.

She holds one of only two Maori constituency seats in Labour's camp – with a slim 888-vote majority – in the face of the Maori Party's popularity.

Has been low profile, but is seen as safe with a relatively error-free political career to date.

Her first son, born premature, lived for just an hour.

Ms Mahuta turned down promotion last year after having another child.

Told leader Phil Goff she has arranged childcare for her seven-month-old son and is ready to take a bigger role.

Reserved and able.