KEY POINTS:
A cloud is hanging over the ministerial career of Trevor Mallard, who is taking a break from politics after punching National MP Tau Henare in Parliament's lobby yesterday.
Mr Henare today said Mr Mallard should be dumped from Cabinet, but Prime Minister Helen Clark refused to comment on his future, saying all would be revealed in her reshuffle - expected next Wednesday.
NZPA understands Mr Mallard's actions will be reflected in the reshuffle in some way. Options - other than dumping him - include a symbolic demotion in ranking or the loss of some portfolios.
Mr Henare today said Mr Mallard "lost his rag" after he directed a "very short three-word comment" at him in the House about his personal life.
He would not say what he said, but Mr Mallard separated from his wife this year and there was significant media interest in whether he had entered into another relationship.
Mr Henare said the two took their discussion to the lobby, where it became more heated and Mr Mallard struck him on the jaw.
He refused to say whether he hit Mr Mallard in return, but it is understood the pair had to be pulled apart.
A repentant Mr Mallard today accepted blame for the fracas, saying there was no excuse for his actions.
"Clearly hitting someone is something that no one - especially a minister - should do. I'm incredibly sorry I did it," he told reporters.
"It doesn't matter what he did or said, I shouldn't have retaliated, it was absolutely wrong."
Mr Mallard, who has had to cope with the death of his father in the past month, said he was "torn up" by the punch, which was "one of the most stupid things I've done in my life".
The timing, ahead of the reshuffle, was "appalling" and he would now take a couple of days out to rest.
Helen Clark said it was not okay to hit anybody, but refused to say if he would be demoted.
Mr Mallard has a number of portfolios including economic development, state owned enterprises and responsibility for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
He also holds an associate finance portfolio and works closely with Finance Minister Michael Cullen in the budget process, and has been picked by some as his successor.
Helen Clark said Mr Mallard was extremely remorseful, had been a "tremendous colleague" and had "great dedication to his job".
He had experienced a lot of grief recently and needed to take time out to deal with it.
But she said both Mr Mallard and Mr Henare should look at themselves in the mirror over the incident.
But Mr Henare said Helen Clark was "duck shoving". It had been Mr Mallard who had rightly apologised to him and he would not be changing his behaviour in future.
Parliament was a robust forum and Mr Mallard, who had yelled taunts at former National leader Don Brash relating to an alleged affair, should have been able to take his comments "on the chin".
However he said he had accepted Mr Mallard's apology and would not be taking any further action.
Speaker Margaret Wilson also said she would not take any action over the incident, which had occurred in the lobbies and therefore was not under her jurisdiction.
National Party leader John Key today said he had expressed his disappointment to Mr Henare over the incident, which did not "bask anyone in glory".
Mr Key said personal comments were not his style, but resorting to violence was a greater transgression.
"Parliament is a robust place where there is robust discussion. I think there is a big difference between that and when something breaks out into an act of violence and I just don't think there's any place for that."
He would not say whether Mr Mallard should be dumped from Cabinet.
Some social groups today condemned Mr Mallard's actions.
Jigsaw Family Services said the incident sent mixed messages when the Government was running an "It's not OK" family violence campaign.
Chief executive Tau Huirama said provocation was no excuse for violence.
Family First, which lobbied against anti-smacking laws, said Mr Mallard, who had voted for those laws, should resign.
In hot water
Mr Mallard's scuffle with Mr Henare is not the first time he has courted controversy. Recent incidents include:
* Mr Mallard saying he would like to ram a Heineken beer bottle up International Rugby Board boss Vernon Pugh's and Australian Rugby Union boss John O'Neill's "particularly uncomfortable places" after New Zealand lost its hosting rights in the lead up to the 2003 Rugby World Cup;
* being forced to backtrack during the 2005 election after claiming National was financed by an American "bagman", but then failing to produce any evidence;
* Prime Minister Helen Clark saying last year she would like to "taser" Mr Mallard over references he made in Parliament to former National leader Don Brash's alleged affair with Business Roundtable vice chairwoman Diane Foreman.
- NZPA
