Documents leaked overnight show a return by former deputy Heather Roy is likely to stir tensions within the ACT Party.
Now party founder Sir Roger Douglas says he is not sure whether he will stand at the next election.
His comments come after leaked documents revealed bitter divisions within the party’s leader Rodney Hide and former deputy Heather Roy. Ms Roy had prepared notes for a caucus meeting on Monday describing Mr Hide as a “bully” with a “vendetta” against her.
Asked this morning if he was still committed to the ACT Party, Sir Roger said: "You know, my position is, I've got 15 months and I've got to decide some time next year whether I stay on. If I don't stay on, it's not because I'm not committed, it will be a decision that, hey, I'm 73, is this the right thing for me to be doing at 73?"
Sir Roger said the party had to show it was stable.
"I don't know where we're at," he said.
Minutes after the notes emerged she vowed to stay on with the ACT Party and attempted to put up a united front with Mr Hide.
Mrs Roy was voted out of her deputy leadership role this week and replaced by John Boscawen. She also resigned from her roles as associate defence minister and consumer affairs minister.
Despite the party insisting Ms Roy will be welcomed back to the caucus after taking leave from Parliament, Sir Roger says the party has “taken a hit” over the affair. He says the ACT “brand” has been hurt.
“If the ACT brand is hurt then Rodney’s brand is hurt,” he said.
Sir Roger backed Ms Roy to stay on as deputy leader during a vote on Monday, but the pair were defeated – three votes to two.
Documents leaked last night suggest even if Ms Roy returns, tension is likely to remain high.
Sir Roger has been Mrs Roy's sole supporter, and said she would pick up some responsibilities, including taking his place sitting on the education committee, on her return, and Mr Hide said she would be welcomed back into the caucus.
Confidential notes prepared by Mrs Roy for Tuesday's caucus meeting were leaked to media and painted a picture of how much tension there has been between her and Mr Hide, and how Mrs Roy saw the party.
She said ACT risked being "abandoned to a culture distinguished by a fascination with black political means".
"If that was accompanied by a mastery of them, shown by outstanding organisational talent and growth in membership and support and an ability to forge an ever-widening support base and understanding of our policies and principles, I could let this go."
Mrs Roy said she backed herself as a competent minister and believed ACT had a respected influence on the defence portfolio.
There has been talk about Mrs Roy's attempts late last year to roll her leader, but the notes say; "despite our deep embarrassment as the perks fiasco blossomed", that was not the case. The perks fiasco was about travel expenses involving Mr Hide and his partner.
Mrs Roy said Mr Hide was determined to discredit her and routinely tried to bully and intimidate her.
She went on to say natural justice had been promised by party members when discussions about her deputy leadership were coming to a head, but promises had not been adhered to and natural justice had not been served.
The documents also quote media notes saying informal advice suggests Mr Hide's hold on the Epsom electorate is "tenuous at best" and a change in deputy leadership now could encourage National to put up a strong candidate there for the next election.
It also calls for an internal investigation into leaked material on conflict issues.
In Parliament yesterday, Labour whip Darren Hughes requested a debate be held over Mrs Roy's resignation.
Speaker Lockwood Smith said that would not generally happen, but in this case he was prepared to accept it.
Mr Hughes went on to slam the support agreement between ACT and National, which was supposed to be about "good faith and no surprises". He said the events of the past couple of days had made a mockery of that and it was not acceptable that Prime Minister John Key had accepted the resignation apparently without receiving or giving any explanation.
Mr Key has maintained the resignation was a result of the ACT caucus no longer having confidence in her, and such issues are solely the responsibility of that party's leadership.
Mr Hide defended the party's actions, saying it was simply democracy at work.
He appeared with Mrs Roy on TV last night and the pair played down the tensions and said they wanted to move on after having sorted out their differences.
3 News / NZPA
source: newshub archive
