The future of the ACT Party looks precarious since revelations centring around former law and order ACT spokesperson David Garrett have arisen, according to the NZ Herald.
ACT Leader, Rodney Hide said he would only step down as leader if he “considers it is in the party’s best interests – and he doesn’t,” the Herald reported yesterday.
Former ACT MP David Garrett left the party caucus after it was revealed that in 1984 he had stolen the birth certificate of a dead child in order to obtain a false passport. He was discharged without conviction and granted name suppression.
Mr Garrett had informed Mr Hide of the charges before he joined the ACT Party, but the ACT leader maintains he did not know about the name suppression.
Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove said it was hard to believe, according to the Herald.
“Rodney would have known about the suppression order, that’s the reason he thought he could get away with covering it up. If there was no suppression order I suspect Mr Garrett would never have become a member of Parliament,” he said.
While insisting that he was not pressuring Mr Garrett to leave Parliament, Mr Hide said, “seems to me the people elected five ACT MPS, not four and an independent,”
Mr Garrett is taking two weeks leave to consider his options. According to the Herald, he can still technically remain in Parliament as an independent MP in which case the ACT Party is unable to replace him.
ACT Leader, Rodney Hide said he would only step down as leader if he “considers it is in the party’s best interests – and he doesn’t,” the Herald reported yesterday.
Former ACT MP David Garrett left the party caucus after it was revealed that in 1984 he had stolen the birth certificate of a dead child in order to obtain a false passport. He was discharged without conviction and granted name suppression.
Mr Garrett had informed Mr Hide of the charges before he joined the ACT Party, but the ACT leader maintains he did not know about the name suppression.
Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove said it was hard to believe, according to the Herald.
“Rodney would have known about the suppression order, that’s the reason he thought he could get away with covering it up. If there was no suppression order I suspect Mr Garrett would never have become a member of Parliament,” he said.
While insisting that he was not pressuring Mr Garrett to leave Parliament, Mr Hide said, “seems to me the people elected five ACT MPS, not four and an independent,”
Mr Garrett is taking two weeks leave to consider his options. According to the Herald, he can still technically remain in Parliament as an independent MP in which case the ACT Party is unable to replace him.
