6 May 2013

Gilmore to face more questions over behaviour

5:19 pm on 6 May 2013

National list MP Aaron Gilmore returns to Parliament this week to face more questions about his behaviour during the party's mainland conference in Hanmer Springs.

Mr Gilmore was having dinner at the Heritage Hanmer Springs hotel with a group of friends on 27 April when he threatened to get the Prime Minister's office to sack a waiter who had refused to bring him more wine.

Initially he apologised for the behaviour of the group, before being forced to acknowledge that only he had acted inappropriately.

Labour Party leader David Shearer says Mr Gilmore should have dealt with the matter by immediately apologising publicly and by speaking directly to reporters and is astounded that Prime Minister John Key has not spoken to his MP about the matter.

Mr Key says he expects Aaron Gilmore will be at Parliament on Tuesday to face media and hear what his caucus colleagues have to say.

He says he is disappointed in the Christchurch MP, but a formal complaint would need to be made against the MP for the matter to go any further. No such complaint has been made.

Mr Key says Mr Gilmore demonstrated poor judgement, has disappointed the party and hopes that he has learned his lesson.