PM says ball is in Worth's court

Prime Minister John Key says Labour leader Phil Goff is virtually "wallowing in the gutter" over alleged sleazy text messages and calls from Richard Worth to Labour activist Neelam Choudary.

Mr Key was much more reluctant to comment on the issue yesterday, saying he had a country to run. But he could not resist a swipe at Mr Goff over his handling of the issue in light of revelations Mrs Choudary's husband is a convicted immigration fraudster.

"I think Phil Goff needs to assess his own performance here," Mr Key told reporters in Auckland. "He is, from what I can see, half wallowing around in the gutter here.

"From my point of view, I have got a country to run. I have acted fairly and swiftly when it came to Richard Worth and I have acted when I have had firm information."

Mr Key confirmed yesterday he had now received an email from Mrs Choudary with a written summary of the text messages and phone calls she says she received from Dr Worth - 40 texts and 60 phone calls. But he said he would not discuss its contents.

"The letter specifically says 'I forbid you from discussing or releasing this information'. At the end of the day, I am respecting her wishes."

He said he would not meet her because she had supplied only a written summary of the contact she had had and not actual texts and emails.

Mr Goff has criticised Mr Key for not meeting Mrs Choudary to discuss what Mr Goff has described as job offers followed by suggestions of a relationship. He took Mrs Choudary's complaint privately to Mr Key in May.

Dr Worth denied inappropriate contact and when the issue became public last week, Mr Key said that if the woman had evidence to the contrary, that could be grounds to remove Dr Worth from the caucus. Mr Key said yesterday he had only seen a written summary, not actual evidence.

Dr Worth has resigned as a minister and is facing a police inquiry after a complaint of a sexual nature from another woman. Mr Key said at the time that Dr Worth's behaviour did not befit a minister and if he had not resigned he would have sacked him.

It has emerged that Mrs Choudary unsuccessfully sought selection in Botany last election, and that her husband was found guilty of immigration fraud last year about the time the contact with Dr Worth began.

Mr Goff, who was consulted by Mrs Choudary before she agreed to a meeting with Dr Worth, advised her to take someone with her.

Her husband, Kumar Akkineni Choudary, sat in the car in the Sylvia Park carpark while his wife met Dr Worth in a cafe and allegedly offered her a job as his ethnic affairs adviser.

Mr Goff has said that the worst text in his view was one suggesting Mrs Choudary buy a see-through top while she was in India - something that is in a written statement by her that he tabled in Parliament.

But neither she nor Mr Goff have said whether Dr Worth used that phrase or a similar one.

Dr Worth has not commented since announcing his resignation and taking two weeks' leave from Parliament.

Mr Key said he was not sure if Dr Worth would be at the caucus next Tuesday when his leave runs out but again suggested he consider his future.

Asked if that meant he wanted Dr Worth to resign, he said: "He can read into it what he wants but all I know is I have washed my hands of him.

If Dr Worth chose to return "that may ultimately a decision of whether the National caucus wants to take action but I can tell you it is not an easy thing to expel a member of caucus."

"I am not asking him to resign ... "In the end the ball is now in Richard Worth's court."

Mr Key said Dr Worth should "front up" and that if he returned to Parliament next week he would have to present himself to the New Zealand public.

"Even if we wanted to expel a member of caucus, it is not singularly my decision to do that. All I can tell you is that under the National Party rules it is extremely difficult to do - as we have seen in the past - but not impossible."