PM John Key: Cabinet minister willing to step down if needed over brother facing indecency charges

Prime Minister John Key. Photo / Andrew Warner, The Daily Post

Prime Minister John Key says a Cabinet minister whose brother is reportedly facing indecency charges was willing to step down if needed, but Mr Key was confident the issue could be managed without that happening.

A report on stuff.co.nz said a Cabinet minister's brother would appear in court on Tuesday on child indecency charges. An injunction meant neither the minister nor the man accused could be named and the accused intended to seek name suppression.

Mr Key said the minister in question had advised Mr Key's office about the situation as soon as the minister knew about it. Mr Key had sought advice on it.

"The advice I've received is that there is no conflict of interest and the issue can be managed. People appreciate that Cabinet ministers, like anyone else, have family but I'm quite confident the position can be managed."

He said the minister was happy to step down if that was what was required. "But that isn't the advice I've got."

Earlier this year, Labour leader Andrew Little stood social development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni down from her portfolio while her mother was before the courts on welfare fraud charges. Mr Little said at the time that was because of Ms Sepuloni's portfolio and reinstated her as soon as her mother was sentenced.

Mr Key said there were different views on the need for that and in this instance the advice he received was "very thorough and that advice very clearly is to follow the action I'm taking."