Goff put 'justice before politics' in Hughes case

Darren Hughes. File Photo / Mark Mitchell

Labour leader Phil Goff is continuing to defend his handling of sexual allegations against former MP Darren Hughes, saying he had to put justice ahead of politics.

Mr Goff announced on Friday that Mr Hughes would resign from Parliament as police continue their investigation into a late-night incident involving an 18-year-old male student.

The announcement came a day after Mr Goff stripped the third-term MP of his responsibilities as education spokesman and party whip, and two days after the allegations were made public.

Mr Goff's handling of the issue has been called into question amid speculation it damaged his leadership of the party.

Today he repeated that his leadership was not in question and rejected that he had sat on the issue.

"I had a hard decision to make. I took it very seriously," he told TVNZ's Q&A programme.

"It's a matter of justice first and foremost. Justice ahead of politics actually, if you really want to know what influenced my decision.

"I needed to be fair to the complainant, to the person against whom the complaint was laid and to let police get on and do their job. This is not about politics."

Mr Goff said it was not up to him to decide whether the allegations had substance, saying that was for police to determine.

"I've got to lay aside my friendship with Darren in making a judgement in this case, and I've done that. But it's not my position to make a decision as to whether the complainant is justified in his complaint," he said.

"If there was substance and a charge was laid, I knew what my decision would have been immediately."

The complainant's mother told the Sunday Star-Times she feared her son's name would get out and affect his chances of one day working in politics, which was his dream.

"The last thing she wanted was this matter to be dealt with publicly instead of properly by the police in a calm investigation," Mr Goff said.

He had to be fair to the complainant in making his decision, he said.

"If it becomes trial by the media, then that undermines the situation for the complainant."

Senior Labour MPs are to meet on Tuesday, and Mr Goff has said while the issue would be raised, the meeting had been planned weeks ago.

Mr Hughes' replacement is yet to be named.

Former MP Judith Tizard is next on the party list, but Labour Party president Andrew Little has indicated that Manurewa candidate Louisa Wall could get the place, One News reported.

Rotorua MP Steve Chadwick is acting whip while David Shearer, who won the Mt Albert by-election in 2009, has taken on the role of education spokesman.

Asked why the relative newcomer was promoted, Mr Goff said he was capable of doing the job.

"I'm blessed with a caucus where many people could have carried out that spokesmanship," he said.

"I've put people into my shadow cabinet on the basis of their ability, on merit and merit alone."

The alleged incident that led to Mr Hughes' resignation happened at Labour deputy leader Annette King's Wellington home, where he boards, after he had been drinking at two bars with a group of students, including the complainant.

The student left the home and is reported to have either flagged down a police car or walked into its path.

It was then he made the complaint.

Mr Hughes said on Friday that his position as an MP had become "untenable" and it was necessary to resign.

"I have done nothing wrong, and I remain confident that the legal process will have the right outcome," he said.

- NZPA