Ruptures emerge over Greens’ handling of Darleen Tana

Sunday, 28 July 2024

Three senior leaders from the Greens’ Pasifika network have walked away from the party following a tense meeting today, following initial steps to potentially invoke party-hopping legislation started against now-independent MP Darleen Tana.

Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick announced on Sunday morning she and Marama Davidson “wrote to Darleen Tana to inform them that it is our view that by resigning from the Green Party but refusing to resign from Parliament, they have acted in a way that has distorted, and is likely to continue to distort, the proportionality of political party representation”.

Tana has 21 days to respond. The party has scheduled a special meeting on September 1 for delegates to vote on whether or not the Electoral Integrity Act, also known as “waka-jumping” or “party-hopping” provisions, should be enacted. They need at least 75% agreement.

After this was announced, a letter was read out by Pasifika Greens secretary Marie Laufiso.

Laufiso, who is a Green-backed Dunedin City Councillor, walked away from the party alongside Alofa Aiono, who is married to former Green MP Elizabeth Kerekere, and Vasemaca Tavola.

The Post has been informed others from the network have also resigned, but chose not to do so publicly.

It read: “The appalling treatment of new MP Darleen Tana has deeply distressed and troubled us.

“The co-Leaders have again inflamed and weaponised media narratives, intentionally smearing Darleen’s character, integrity and mana. And since threats and intimidation have failed to make Darleen resign from Parliament, the co-Leaders have now resorted, at extremely short notice, to forcing the Party to consider invoking the party-hopping Act.

“As such an invocation would be against long-standing policy, this decision should not be rushed. This rush, we assert, is not because of Darleen’s alleged poor treatment of migrant workers but because of the Party’s budget.”

The highly critical letter first spoke about what they said was “deep hurt at the Greens’ blatant disregard” for their treatment after Fa’anānā Efeso Collins passed away.

“No welfare checks for us nor an invitation to stand with the Party while Members throughout the motu heaved in sadness and shock.“

They called the way Elizabeth Kerekere was treated as 'disappointingly disgusting'.

Earlier in the day, Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said she and Davidson had written to Tana about the issue and called a Special General Meeting of the party in September to discuss their response.

“Today, Marama Davidson and I wrote to Darleen Tana to inform them that it is our view that by resigning from the Green Party but refusing to resign from Parliament, they have acted in a way that has distorted, and is likely to continue to distort, the proportionality of political party representation in Parliament as determined at the last general election,” Swarbrick said.

The co-leader said they advised Tana they have 21 working days to respond to matters raised in the letter.

“We have also reiterated our clear request for them to resign from Parliament, and in so doing, draw this matter to a conclusion. This would be in the best interests of all involved.”

Swarbrick was clear the party wouldn’t be taking the final step of writing to the Speaker to trigger party hopping provisions “unless we have the clear backing of our party to do so”.

A Special General Meeting is being scheduled which Swarbrick said would give the party time to “thoroughly consider this issue throughout their branches, provinces and networks”.

“It also means they will have Darleen Tana’s response, if they choose to respond, in order to inform their decision making.

“Marama Davidson has been fully involved in this process, and on Friday, Marama once again tried multiple times via phone, text and email to engage directly with Darleen Tana and ask for their resignation.”

Swarbrick said the hope of the meeting would be a unanimous decision and “if not that than a 75% threshold.”

Tana would not be invited to the meeting because they resigned from the party.

The potential for the party to waka jump their former colleague, which could mean Tana may be removed from Parliament, has been the centre of much speculation during the party’s annual conference this weekend.

The Greens have a complex history with the law.

On Saturday, Swarbrick addressed members at Christchurch’s Ngā Hau e Wha Marae, as the party began the debate on how to handle Tana.

At the conference’s outset, Swarbrick gave a rousing speech laying out her aim to get the party back into the Beehive and part of Government.

“I believe that we can and we will lead the government in the not too distant future,” she told party faithful, calling for membership drives.

Tana resigned from the party after a report that showed they likely knew their husband’s e-cycle business had been hit with migrant exploitation claims, after an investigation by Stuff. The party has pleaded with Tana to resign from Parliament.

Tana has disputed the report’s findings, saying they didn’t think natural justice processes had been followed. Tana said the party had come to a predetermined view and the report substantially misrepresented their involvement in their husband’s business.

Additional reporting by Grace Thomas, Frances Chin and and Poppy Clark