Key: Carter should provide sick note

Labour MP Chris Carter. Photo / Richard Robinson

Proposed legislation that would require a doctor's certificate within three days of taking one sick day should be applied to Labour MP Chris Carter, Prime Minister John Key says.

Mr Carter was thrown out of Labour's caucus last Thursday within hours of being identified as the author of an anonymous letter to the media saying the party couldn't win next year's election with Phil Goff as leader.

Since then senior Labour MPs have questioned his state of mind and yesterday party president Andrew Little said Mr Carter was "unwell" and wanted two months off.

"The party is pleased that he is getting the help he needs," Mr Little said.

The Labour Party whips can grant Mr Carter leave of up to 14 sitting days - Parliament sits three days a week and not every week. Once that period was up an application would need to be made to Speaker Lockwood Smith or Mr Carter's pay could be docked by $10 a day. As an MP Mr Carter earns about $145,000 a year.

"Here's Chris Carter, he has told the truth about his leader and now he's in the sick bin for two months," Mr Key said.

Mr Key's Government wants to introduce new legislation that would enable employers to require a certificate from a doctor within three days of an employee taking one sick day.

Mr Key said it might be a good idea to apply the proposed law to Mr Carter.

"He didn't look very sick to me last week, he looked fairly exercised about the fact that he didn't think Phil Goff could win an election."

Mr Key said Mr Carter would have to tell the public he was genuinely sick.

It felt like an excuse, Mr Key said.

The Labour Party seemed to be having difficulty expelling him and had found a way around that, he said.

Mr Little said Mr Carter had "sought some medical assistance, he has been diagnosed as suffering severe consequences of stress and that necessitates some time off".

The party's national council is to meet on Saturday and would discuss Mr Carter's actions.

Any decision, such as stripping him of party membership, could not now be quickly made.

Mr Goff has said he expects Mr Carter to be expelled, which would turn him into an independent MP, and wanted it over as quickly as possible to end media speculation and any drawn-out debate over the leadership issue.

- NZPA