D-day — decision day — for Darleen Tana is fast approaching.
Next Sunday, Green Party members will decide whether to invoke the so-called waka-jumping legislation, which could dump the independent MP from Parliament.
Q+A caught up with the former Green, in what could be their final week in Parliament.
“It’s not going to be any more stressful than any other week,” Tana said.
“I’m here, exactly where I’m meant to be.”
Next Sunday, 200 Greens delegates at a special general meeting, will decide Tana‘s future. They will decide whether to invoke the so-called party-hopping law which would eject the independent MP from Parliament.
Tana — who uses they and them pronouns — insists they have support from some Greens members and many outside the party.
“I get messages every day,” the MP said. “I do get messages from people telling me to get lost but three-to-one, people are telling me to stay.”
Party’s co-leaders have written to Tana, saying the MP’s actions have “distorted the proportionality” of Parliament — and setting in motion waka-jumping provisions. (Source: 1News)
In early July, Tana resigned from the Green Party following investigations into conduct and allegations of involvement in migrant exploitation at their husband’s business.
With the business now closed, Tana has often been asked whether they are hanging on in Parliament for the money.
“I’m a kaupapa girl, so I’m always going to stay on kaupapa,” responds Tana.
“Money is important for survival — but it’s not at all what drives me.”
In a symbolic protest over the Greens’ treatment of Tana, three members of Pasifika Greens resigned from the party at its AGM last month.
One of them was Vasemaca Tavola.
“To see Darleen in caucus then being pushed out,” Tavola recalls, “was like, we’ve used the term, cannibalism — someone just eaten up by their own party — and it was unpleasant.
The issue of whether to force former Green MP Darleen Tana from Parliament using the waka jumping law was debated among party members today. (Source: 1News)
“It made us all really reflect on the experiences we had in the party that felt like they were all playing out in a pattern.”
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick told Q+A that nothing about having to handle the Darleen Tana situation was nice.
“I’ve been pretty clear that it sucks,” she said.
“The best way for this situation to end, in a way to minimise harm and hurt for all parties is for Darleen Tana to take accountability and resign.”
Tana insists they can effect change as an independent MP.
They have an allocation of questions, can sit in on select committees, and are drafting a private members bill around ocean health. Last week, Tana circulated a reply to the Greens arguing that they have not disrupted the proportionality of Parliament.
When asked about whether they would challenge a decision on Sunday to invoke the party hopping act, Tana said: “We’ll have to see.”
Speaking to Q+A, Otago University law professor, Andrew Geddis thinks there are two problems for Tana if they decide to go to court to take action. One is the cost and the other is that he doesn’t think they have strong legal grounds to win.
The former Green MP returned following migrant exploitation allegations involving their husband’s business. (Source: 1News)
“There’s this added problem of Parliamentary privilege, which may stop the courts from looking at this. This is a political battle, the legal avenues are very limited for Tana.”
The Green Party, who had long opposed the party-hopping legislation, has come in for criticism about the amount of time it has taken to take a vote on Tana’s future.
Chlöe Swarbrick is now looking ahead to next weekend’s voting process and getting back to core business.
“For me, this really boils down to following the process, upholding natural justice and doing the best we can to put the focus back on people and planet where it belongs.”
This coming Sunday, when Green Party delegates meet to decide the independent MP’s future, Darleen Tana says they will be in Northland surrounded by whānau.
“They know who I am,” they explained.
“And they know the skills I have and that we’ve just got work to do.”
Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air
