Chris Carter Gay Labour MP Chris Carter has been stripped of his Foreign Affairs portfolio and his front bench seat. Labour leader Phil Goff says Carter wrongly used his credit card on several occasions over six years as a Minister on things outside the rules for Ministerial expenditure, but has now repaid the money. "These items by themselves would not warrant removal from the Foreign Affairs portfolio. However there has been public controversy around the frequency and cost of Chris' travel as a Minister accompanied by his partner which damages his ability to continue in this portfolio," Goff says. Goff says Carter has lost the portfolio and his front bench seat and will sit on the second bench. "Given the importance he attached to his portfolio this will be a severe sanction for him," he says. "I want to acknowledge that he is an exceptionally hard working Member of Parliament well regarded for what he has done in areas like Conservation and Ethnic Affairs." On the weekend, Carter told the Herald on Sunday he is debating his future at Parliament, saying is tired of being portrayed as a 'luxury-loving gay boy'. He has been an MP since 1993. Shane Jones and Miti Ririnui have also been demoted. Goff says New Zealanders have the right to expect the highest standards of Ministerial behaviour, and the proper expenditure of their funds. "I feel very strongly about honesty, integrity and care of public money because these are values fundamental to our political system," Goff says. "New Zealanders need to know that they can trust their MPs. Setting and maintaining high standards of transparency and accountability are essential to this." UPDATE: An announcement on promotions to the front bench is likely to be made tomorrow. Rainbow Labour MPs Maryan Street and Grant Robertson are among those considered to be contenders for the Foreign Affairs portfolio. Click here to discuss this story about New Zealand's first openly-gay MP on the GayNZ.com forum
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 14th June 2010 - 12:13pm