National MP Nick Smith says he is looking forward to returning to Parliament for his valedictory speech next week after announcing his retirement on Monday.
The MP said he would be leaving Parliament amid the fallout of a confidential inquiry into a verbal altercation between himself and a staffer last year.
On Friday, Smith shared to his Facebook that he will return to make his valedictory speech next Thursday, which will signal his official resignation.
Every resigning or retiring MP has the chance to say goodbye before leaving Parliament in their valedictory statement.
Smith announced his resignation on Monday after 30 years in Parliament, citing "personal and professional reasons" including the loss of the Nelson seat at last year's election and an ongoing Parliamentary inquiry into an employment matter.
Details about the incident are vague but Newshub understands the verbal altercation was with a male in his 20s who worked in Dr Smith's office.
It's not known what the incident was about, but Newshub has been told both parties were shouting. Newshub has also been told it wasn't the staffer who made the complaint.
It's understood Smith had a fierce temper - a number of former National Party staffers told Newshub anonymously he was "prone to bouts of extreme verbal anger towards other ministers and staff" and "notorious" for his anger issues.
