One of the owners of online news agency Scoop says its reputation has been damaged by the involvement of its editor in the creation of Kim Dotcom's new political party.
Editor and co-founder Alistair Thompson, registered the Internet Party's website domain to Scoop on 18 December last year while working as a journalist in the parliamentary press gallery.
An internal party strategy document for the internet entrepreneur's new party, leaked to blog website Whale Oil, suggests Mr Thompson could be the party's secretary.
Mr Thompson resigned from his positions at Scoop and the press gallery late on Wednesday afternoon.
Scoop shareholder Selwyn Pellett said Mr Thompson only told him about his involvement with the new political party earlier this week.
He said the former editor's involvement while he was in the press gallery was unwise, and Scoop now needs to restore its reputation.
Mr Pellett said he was surprised Mr Thompson was prepared to leave Scoop, a company he built from the ground up.
However media commentator Russell Brown, who is also a Scoop shareholder, says Mr Thompson's involvement was not unethical considering his timely resignation.
"He's not the first journalist to go into a political role of some kind. My only sadness is that the rushed resignation I don't think does credit to the role he's played in New Zealand political life."
The 13-page strategy document published online on Wednesday proposes the Internet Party contests two electorates at this year's general election.