Outgoing National MP Nick Smith appears to be giving Parliament a wide berth and it is not clear if he will return to serve out his notice.
The MP is under investigation for a spat in his office last year. He resigned abruptly last night and will throw in the towel on a 30-year political career next week, citing the loss of the Nelson seat at the election and an Parliamentary Service inquiry into a "verbal altercation".
Now his colleagues are denying any prior knowledge of the incident.
Here's our political reporter, Katie Scotcher.
