Hide stands firm on leadership

Photo / Mark Mitchell

Act leader Rodney Hide says he will only step down as leader if he considers it is in the party's best interests - and he doesn't.

Mr Hide's judgement has come into question after it emerged he knew about MP David Garrett's court case over obtaining a false passport by stealing a toddler's identity, but he says he has no intention of relinquishing his leadership.

Mr Garrett resigned from the party caucus on Friday and has taken two weeks' leave to decide on his future, which could involve staying in Parliament as an independent MP.

It also emerged during the week that Mr Garrett had an assault conviction following an altercation with a doctor in Tonga in 2002.

He stole the details of the dead toddler from a cemetery headstone in 1984 and was arrested and charged 21 years later. He was convicted and discharged and the sentencing judge mentioned his otherwise "blameless life".

Mr Hide said at a press conference on Friday that he had concerns over an affidavit Mr Garrett submitted to the court about his past in that 2005 case, and how truthful it was.

He had supported him into the party in 2008, despite Mr Garrett having told him about the passport case, but did not know the full details of it, including that it had a permanent name suppression order on it - an order which was lifted at Mr Garrett's request on Friday.

Mr Garrett, the party's law and order spokesman, resigned after Mr Hide said he could not support him over the affidavit issue - something Mr Garrett said he had had legal advice over and couldn't discuss. The Law Society is also expected to look into the issue.

Mr Hide today told NZPA he had spoken to Mr Garrett a couple of times during the weekend to check on his welfare after what had been a stressful week.

"My main concern is that he is feeling support from myself and, indeed, the party. We are not like other parties who cut someone adrift and then treat them badly."

Mr Hide said he was not putting any pressure on Mr Garrett in terms of whether he should quit Parliament, but that five Act MPs had been granted space in Parliament after his Epsom electorate win, "not four". If Mr Garrett stayed in Parliament, ACT only retains four MPs.

Labour leader Phil Goff said on Friday that Mr Hide had been hypocritical in his support for Mr Garrett, and in keeping the court case quiet, and should not be in Parliament.

"My comment there is that there is a difference between Phil Goff and myself," Mr Hide said today. "And that is that Phil Goff wants me to go and I want him to stay."

Mr Hide said he wanted to remind his electorate that in getting voted in he had secured five MPs, and if that hadn't happened Helen Clark would probably still be prime minister.

"Or John Key and the National Party would be held hostage for every vote by the Maori Party and Hone Harawira."

He told TV3's The Nation he would step down as party leader if it was in the best interests of the party and its survival.

However, he didn't intend putting that on the table for consideration.

If it came to a caucus vote and he lost, so be it, but he considered he had plenty more to contribute as leader, he said.

- NZPA