Carter staying on as an MP

Labour says if Chris Carter did quit, it would welcome the byelection. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

Te Atatu MP Chris Carter yesterday confirmed he intended seeing out his current term of office and was not looking elsewhere for work.

Labour Party sources have been reported as saying Mr Carter, who is on two months' sick leave from Parliament after being outed as the writer of an anonymous letter undermining his leader Phil Goff last month, had indicated he planned to resign, triggering a byelection.

The sources also claimed Mr Carter had approached the Labour Party for help in finding another job.

Yesterday, Mr Carter denied both claims.

"At this point in time I'm happy to continue being the MP for Te Atatu and I will be working hard for my constituents" he told TVNZ News as he left an Auckland gym.

Mr Carter also said he had not approached Labour or anybody else about a job.

One of Mr Carter's supporters yesterday told the Herald regular exercise was part of his efforts to regain his health.

Mr Goff yesterday said he was not in contact with Mr Carter but understood he intended to see out his term.

However, if Mr Carter was to resign, Labour would be ready for it. "We'll welcome it."

Labour president Andrew Little was not prepared to say whether the party would prefer Mr Carter to resign.

"We want to deal with the issue and we really need to just get a response from him to the allegations and we'll deal with that. What he chooses to do is entirely up to him."