Wong in dire straits

Pansy Wong. Photo / Supplied

The political future of Pansy Wong was looking dire last night as it emerged that her husband Sammy may have got taxpayer discounts for business travel after booking his trips through her office.

Speaking from the Apec summit in Japan, Prime Minister John Key revealed the latest detail in the scandal that has already cost Wong her cabinet seat and might yet force her to resign as an MP.

"I don't know whether she knew or not, but she certainly can't recall. She said he booked the trips with the office, and effectively using her discount, one would assume, but she didn't book them. So she said 'Look, I don't know'."

Meanwhile, Sammy Wong, the man at the centre of the row, has written to the man who sparked the inquiries, suggesting God needed to forgive him.

In an email to Stephen Preest, of Pacific Hovercraft, Sammy Wong expressed regret that his wife had suffered from being associated with his business dealings. He offered no apology to Preest, who said he was owed $1 million by an associate of Wong's in royalties, salaries and lost sales.

In September, Preest filed papers at the Donghai Labour Office in an attempt to recover the unpaid salaries. He said he had no problem with Pansy Wong personally and that she was a casualty of a deal gone sour.

"She is a great person. She has done a great job. She has made a mistake that has cost her dearly," he said.

Sammy Wong helped broker a deal between Preest and Chinese investor Terry Yang, who owns Lianyungang Supreme Hovercraft. During the trip in question in 2008, Pansy Wong witnessed a business contract using her ministerial title, which was what prompted Labour's Pete Hodgson to accuse her of acting outside the rules.

Preest said Pansy Wong didn't need to witness the document. "A tradesman from the workshop could have come and signed it."

Key cleared Pansy Wong of any wrongdoing in signing the document but accepted her resignation "without hesitation" when news of the travel perk breach broke on Friday.

Preest said Pansy Wong had visited the company twice in China, most recently last year. The second trip is likely to come under scrutiny as part of the Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith's investigation into Pansy Wong's use of international travel perks.

Hodgson told the Herald on Sunday yesterday there were more lines of inquiry to pursue on the matter. He was attempting to check facts.

"I won't say anything on the record until I can substantiate my comments," he said.