This article was first published by RNZ.
The Green Party still isn’t ruling out using waka-jumping legislation to oust MP Darleen Tana despite its previous opposition to the law.
The Green caucus has called for Tana to resign after a report found it likely she knew about allegations of worker exploitation at her husband’s business but did not tell the party.
Tana told 1News she was being silenced by the party and was considering her options.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick told Morning Report she was not ruling out any options if Tana did not resign.
“I am not precluding any possible outcome here Corin, the point that I have made time and time again is that Darleen Tana has an opportunity to reduce harm, and collateral damage, and to take accountability and responsibility and to resign.
“Should that not occur then you can expect that absolutely there is a number of New Zealanders out there who are frustrated, but particularly frustrated Green Party members and we’ve got our AGM coming up in about a fortnight.”
Asked specifically about the waka-jumping legislation, Swarbrick reiterated her hope Tana “takes responsibility” and resigns.
“The only thing that I’ve said is we are in a situation right now where we are waiting for a response from Darleen Tana about whether she will accept that request for her resignation.”
Invoking the party-hopping legislation would be awkward for the party which had strongly opposed it in the past.
Swarbrick also said she hope to be able to release the executive summary of the report very soon, but said there were privacy concerns for people other than Tana to consider.
“I share with you the frustration about not having that transparency out there in the public arena but I’m also not interested in having an unnecessary tit for tat in the media.”
- RNZ