ACT leader Rodney Hide will not say whether his deputy leader Heather Roy was booted out of her job because of disloyalty seen as undermining his leadership.
First-term MP John Boscawen is the new deputy and becomes a minister after Mrs Roy resigned her portfolios following a two-hour caucus meeting followed by a crisis board meeting today.
NZPA understands the party is split into factions and Mrs Roy lost the position after again trying to rally party sentiment against Mr Hide.
Late last year she and Sir Roger Douglas unsuccessfully sought to challenge Mr Hide's leadership. Mr Hide said his leadership was not challenged on this occasion, with the sole focus on the deputy but he would not say why.
"I'm not prepared to comment on any issues, they were all well canvassed in the caucus and that's where it remains," Mr Hide said.
"The caucus made a decision that John Boscawen should be deputy leader."
After talking to Prime Minister John Key, the National-ACT confidence and supply agreement had been changed.
Mr Boscawen would take on Ms Roy's Consumer Affairs portfolio and would also get Mr Hide's associate commerce role. Mr Hide would pick up associate education and the associate defence role would be dropped altogether.
"At my request, the Prime Minister subsequently advised the Governor-General Anand Satyanand to accept Heather Roy's resignation from ministerial office," Mr Hide said.
"We need our best team in place to contest the election next year."
Ms Roy would have a two-week break from work to consider her future.
"Heather Roy has made a valuable contribution to the ACT Party over many years and I sincerely hope that will continue... I've asked Heather to reflect on things, this is a tough day for the ACT Party and it's very, very tough for Heather so I have asked her to reflect on things and take a two-week break."
Mr Hide said Mr Boscawen's promotion was a tribute to the work he'd done for the party -- including his opposition to the emissions trading scheme.
Prime Minister John Key said he had accepted Mrs Roy's written resignation as a minister following a request from Mr Hide.
Mr Satyanand would tomorrow swear in Mr Boscawen.
