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Former Minister Richard Worth - Source: ONE News -
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Police are yet to interview list MP Richard Worth over a sexual complaint laid against him.
Worth was asked to resign as a minister last week after it emerged that he was under police investigation over allegations of a sexual nature involving a Korean business woman.
Prime Minister John Key is also still trying to get to the bottom of an earlier allegation that Worth harassed an Auckland Indian woman. In a statement, which Goff tabled in Parliament on her behalf, she said she received about 40 texts and 60 phone calls from Worth.
On Tuesday, Detective Inspector Paul Basham, who is head of Wellington CIB and is in charge of the criminal investigation, said although police had been in contact with Worth he was yet to be interviewed.
The complaint was made in Auckland last month and inquiries were continuing in Auckland and Wellington, Basham says.
Via his lawyer, Worth had assured police he would cooperate with their investigation.
It was too early to say when they were likely to interview Worth as they work through inquiries.
"There remains a good deal of work left to complete," Basham says.
Meanwhile, the tit-for-tat debate between Key and Labour leader Phil Goff over what the opposition leader told the prime minister about the earlier allegation continued today.
Goff rang Key on May 6 to tell him that a female party member had come to him after getting offensive calls and texts from Worth.
In his notes from the call he wrote that Key had been aware of rumours before the election and that was why Worth was not made speaker.
Key said he did not say that.
Key said the Labour leader had said he was calling to let him know about the behaviour but thought little could be done. Goff says he didn't say that.
The two men also disputed the timing of the call. Mr Key said he didn't get off a plane until after 10pm. Goff released Parliamentary Services phone records showing the call was placed at 9.49pm and lasted 8.5 minutes.
Key has refused to meet the woman until his chief of staff can see the texts she received first.
She is now trying to get Vodafone to retrieve them.
She alleges that between November and February, Worth sent dozens of text messages, some sexually explicit, and called her numerous times.
She has also said Worth offered her jobs in his ministerial capacity.
Worth is on leave, but due to return for next week's caucus meeting.
Key says Worth should consider his future as an MP and suggested he could be expelled from caucus.
If Worth wanted to take more time to consider his position then it was likely he would be granted it.
Worth issued a statement last Thursday saying he was innocent of any crime and would vigorously defend himself against any accusations that he had broken the law.
