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Mangere MP Taito Phillip Field will be tried on charges of bribery and corruption after a judge decided there is enough evidence against him.
Judge Charles Blackie ruled at the Manukau District Court that there was enough evidence for the MP to face trial on 15 charges of bribery and corruption and 25 charges of perverting the course of justice.
Key government ministers are expected to testify against their colleague.
The allegations centers on work done on several of his properties by Thai immigrants seeking to stay in New Zealand. Police allege Field gave immigration favours in exchange for their labour.
Field is also accused of making false statements in the inquiry into the allegations against him.
However, Field maintains he has done nothing wrong and the decision came as no surprise to him as he had instructed his lawyer not to contest it.
"It was clear from the beginning of this process this was inevitable," says Field.
He says he acted as any person would when hiring a tradesman to do work: he was given bills to pay and he paid them, so his conscience is clear.
After four weeks of depositions and three years of ongoing investigation the MP is keen for it to be settled.
Field took court action last year to try to prevent police from laying charges against him, but the bid was rejected by the Supreme Court in December.
Taito Phillip Field will appear at the High Court at the end of July for a brief appearance, but the trial date has not been set yet.
The decision to commit the case to trial is the result of a four week depositions hearing at the Manukau District Court.
The hearing heard form 20 witnesses and the judge ruled there was enough evidence for Field to stand trial.
Field is hoping the trial will be over before the coming election.
Field told journalists last month that the battle to clear his name had almost depleted his life savings.
"The sooner we got to trial and get the outcome and bring this to an end the sooner the better," says Field.
With a looming election, its not good news for Labour that some government ministers and MPs are on the witness list, including Minister Damien O'Conner.
Once a minister in the Labour government of Prime Minister Helen Clark, Field was dumped from his portfolios in 2005.
In February last year Field was expelled from the Labour Party and now sits in parliament as an independent MP.
Born in Samoa, Field has indicated he wants to start a new political party before this year's national election called the New Zealand Pacific Party.
The case will make New Zealand history because it is the first time a member of parliament has been charged with bribery and corruption.
Key witness faces disputes
A dispute has broken out over key police witness Thai tiler Sunan Siriwan.
He and his wife came from Thailand four weeks ago to give evidence against Field.
Their lawyer is furious Immigration has lost their long running application to get a work permit and they were told to leave New Zealand on Saturday.
"It seems so grossly unfair&they were expected to leave the minute the duty they were called to perform was finished," says Olinda Woodroffe, their lawyer.
The couple are now staying until the end of the month and will continue fighting for a work permit.
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