KEY POINTS:
Labour is coming under renewed pressure from a key support base to take a harder line on Mangere MP Taito Phillip Field, who is surprisingly refusing to be interviewed by police.
Mr Field - under police investigation since the end of August last year - has accepted legal
advice to no longer make himself available for police interview.
The revelation yesterday drew scathing criticism from the National Party leader, John Key, who described it as "outrageous".
But closer to home for Labour, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union's national secretary, Andrew Little, was also not amused.
"I certainly don't think it's a good look for an MP who is under a police investigation to refuse to co-operate with the police," Mr Little said last night. "It's not the kind of example you'd expect any MP of any hue to be setting."
Mr Little said the situation confirmed in his mind something that the inquiry of Dr Noel Ingram, QC, had identified - that "there is some conduct here which is not becoming of an MP".
Mr Field has been on leave from Parliament since police last year began an investigation into allegations swirling around the politician.
The controversy centred on accusations he provided immigration assistance to several Thais while accepting cheap labour from them.
Other allegations have also surfaced and Mr Field has vehemently denied them all.
The ongoing saga is embarrassing for Labour, which has come under intense political pressure to cut Mr Field loose.
Yesterday, Mr Field's lawyer, Simativa Perese, said he had written to the police shortly before Christmas to say his client was no longer available for interview.
An interview was originally scheduled for early last month, Mr Perese said, but was put back to mid-December, and then to January or February.
Mr Perese and prominent Auckland defence lawyer Paul Dacre - who is also now representing Mr Field - evaluated the situation and advised their client to no longer be available for interview.
Mr Perese said that if the police wanted to talk about something new, Mr Field would consider responding on a "case-by-case basis".
Mr Perese said the Mangere MP wanted to get back to work, and there was no point in his turning up to an interview to say the same thing he had said "umpteen times" before.
Whether the silence looked bad or not, the public needed to recognise that he was facing a serious potential charge and deserved fair treatment, Mr Perese said. Mr Field is in Samoa attending a funeral, but is due back in New Zealand this week.
He has received full pay while on leave from Parliament since last year.
Prime Minister Helen Clark would not comment yesterday.
Labour Party president Mike Williams said the party would respond when there was "something concrete", and reiterated that Mr Field was innocent until proven guilty.
However, it appears that the future of Mr Field could be forced onto the agenda at a meeting of Labour's New Zealand council next month.
Mr Little said he thought it would be helpful for the council to be briefed on its options at the meeting, which he would attend.
