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Richard Worth - Source: ONE News -
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The woman who laid a complaint against former internal affairs minister Richard Worth has said he invited her to parliament, hosted her in his ministerial capacity and then took her to a hotel room where "a sexual encounter" took place, it has been reported.
The New Zealand Herald on Friday said it met the Auckland businesswoman on Thursday but she was too distressed to discuss the incident.
Her friend, who helped her lay a complaint with police and then took her to see National MP Tau Henare so that Prime Minister John Key could be informed, outlined her allegation.
The incident happened in March and the woman complained to the police about two weeks ago.
Police have started an investigation and officers spent several hours with the woman yesterday, the Herald reported.
Worth announced his resignation as a minister on Tuesday, citing personal reasons.
Key has refused to give his reasons for effectively sacking Worth, saying it would interfere with the police inquiry, but he urged his MP to break his silence.
Following this, Worth on Thursday issued a statement saying people were rushing to judge him on the basis of rumour.
This had damaged his career and hurt his family and friends, he said.
"I maintain that I am innocent of any crime, and I will defend myself vigorously against any accusations that I have broken the law," Worth said.
No details of the woman's allegation are known but Police Minister Judith Collins told reporters the police commissioner rang her on Tuesday and told her it was "of a sexual nature".
Despite Worth's protestations of innocence, Key said he would never become a minister again.
"Dr Worth's behaviour does not befit that of a minister and I won't have him in my Cabinet."
Key has also said Worth should talk with his family about the wisdom of remaining an MP.
Despite his statement, the troubles for Worth continued with Labour tabling a statement in parliament from a different woman who said she was the victim of unwanted and inappropriate advances from the MP.
Her allegations are not linked to the complaint made to the police.
The woman, who does not want to be identified, said she received numerous text messages and phone calls from Worth between November and February.
After meeting her Worth offered her two jobs and said she would have to leave the Labour Party, of which she is a member, and join National, she said.
While the woman was on a international family trip, the text messages became more explicit including asking her to buy a transparent garment.
Several of the phone calls the woman received from Worth were "vulgar, sexually explicit and I believe were made when he was drunk".
The woman said she "repeatedly made it clear to him that I didn't want a relationship with him".
Labour leader Phil Goff said he passed on the woman's concerns, but not copies of the correspondence, to Key on May 6.
Worth told Key there was no truth in the woman's allegations.
"Dr Worth was absolutely adamant, he was happy to have the situation tested...there was no ambiguity in his rebuttal."
The allegation would have been "of great concern" if it were true, Key said.
