A summary of ministers sacked, suspended, stood down or forced to resign since Helen Clark became prime minister in 1999.

June 28, 2000

- Dover Samuels

Sacked from the Maori Affairs portfolio by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who said he could not be effective while "allegations, controversy and public debate swirl around him". Mr Samuels, who faced allegations of sexual misconduct, had refused to resign. A police investigation ended without charges being laid and in August 2002 Mr Samuels was made a minister outside Cabinet.

October 31, 2000

- Ruth Dyson.

Resigned from Cabinet after failing a breath test while driving home from the Beehive in October 2000. She was fined $600, lost her licence for six months, and returned to Cabinet in June 2001.

February 23, 2001

- Marian Hobbs and Phillida Bunkle (Alliance)

Resigned from ministerial positions following investigations into claiming out-of-town allowances while enrolled on the Wellington Central electoral roll. Ms Hobbs came back into Cabinet at the end of the investigation. Ms Bunkle, an Alliance minister outside Cabinet, never regained her job.

July 23, 2003

- Harry Duynhoven.

Had his ministerial powers temporarily suspended after inadvertently breaking electoral law by renewing his Dutch citizenship. Parliament passed legislation to ensure that Mr Duynhoven did not have to quit as an MP. He retains his ministerial roles.

February 20, 2004

- Lianne Dalziel.

Forced to resign from Cabinet when she misled NZPA over whether she knew who leaked documents about a controversial immigration case to the media. Later returned to Cabinet and still serves as a minister.

November 4, 2004

- John Tamihere

Resigned his portfolios after standing down on October 15 following reports that he accepted a $195,000 payment when he left the Waipareira Trust in 1999 to become an MP. He had told voters he would not take such a payment. Mr Tamihere was cleared by the Serious Fraud Office, but harshly criticised his colleagues and never returned to Cabinet.

May 16, 2005

- David Benson-Pope.

Stood down as associate education minister after TV3 News reported five former students of Dunedin's Bayfield High School had come forward to back allegations that as a teacher he tied a boy's hands together and jammed a tennis ball into his mouth, and once smacked a pupil with the back of his hand, making his nose bleed.

Police said there was conflicting evidence and decided it was not in the public interest to lay charges. Mr Benson-Pope returned to his job despite fierce criticism from the Opposition over the allegations and how his story had changed as he defended them.

October 19, 2005

- Taito Phillip Field

Before the 2005 election Mr Field faced allegations he took bribes and used illegal workers to work on his homes in exchange for visa assistance.

His appointments lapsed on October 19, following the election, and he was never reinstated to Cabinet. Police took up the case and he was thrown out of Labour after he threatened to stand as an independent. Now facing corruption charges.

March 20, 2006

- David Parker.

He resigns as Attorney-General as the Companies Office launches an investigation into whether he filed proper returns in relation to a company. A day later he resigns his transport and energy portfolios. However the Companies Office clears him of doing anything wrong and he is later reinstated as energy, climate change and land information minister.

July 27, 2007

- David Benson-Pope.

Resigned from Cabinet after his role in the removal of Madeleine Setchell from her job as Environment Ministry communications manager was questioned. Miss Clark told reporters Mr Benson-Pope had been misleading in what he had said about his involvement.

August 29, 2008

- Winston Peters.

Winston Peters stands down as Foreign Affairs, Racing and Associate Senior Citizens Minister after the Serious Fraud Office launches an investigation into undeclared donations to NZ First. Prime Minister Helen Clark becomes acting minister in those portfolios.

- NZPA