Greens first-term MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere has quit the Green Party.
In a statement this evening Greens co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw said Kerekere had quit and would sit as an independent MP until the general election, when she would retire.
The “waka jumping” legislation would not be used to eject her from Parliament, sticking to a commitment the Greens made when the legislation passed that they did not intend to invoke it.
Kerekere’s resignation follows speculation about her future after she appeared to call a fellow MP a “crybaby” in a group chat. After internal party complaints about "bullying", the party began an investigation of Kerekere's behaviour. This occurred at the same time as party members were deciding the list order for the coming election. In initial rankings Kerekere had been placed in fourth place, leading to criticism from longer-serving Green MPs.
Kerekere’s resignation followed a Zoom call with Green Party members, when she responded to the allegations and denied any bullying. She said the investigation had only just started and she had just received the terms of reference.
In their statement, the co-leaders denied that, said they disagreed with what she had reportedly told members in the call and would respond to those comments in coming days.
Te Ao Maori News has asked Kerekere for comment.