Phil Goff says Chris Carter's actions to destroy the Labour Party resulted from being caught out for more overseas travel.

It has been revealed the suspended MP travelled to China earlier this month without his party's knowledge.

Mr Goff says he does not know what Mr Carter was doing in Tibet, but he was not on party business. He says he found out about the trip after Mr Carter left for Tibet and confronted him about it on his return.

Mr Goff believes Mr Carter did not accept being disciplined for too costly and too frequent travel. He thinks Chris Carter developed a 'sense of entitlement' over his travel.

Mr Carter was given a second chance after the mishandling of his public apology over his ministerial travel, but Mr Goff he is not prepared to do that again.

Meawhile, Mr Carter's claim that a candidate is waiting in the wings to challenge George Hawkins for the Manurewa seat is also being refuted. Mr Goff says even it the seat was contested he is confident Mr Hawkins would be well supported but the fact of the matter is his seat is not under threat.