Key points
- Ex-Green MP Darleen Tana has returned to Parliament amid migrant exploitation allegations involving her husband’s business, which is now in liquidation.
- Tana has appeared defiant in response to calls from her former party to resign.
- The Greens have said she no longer deserves to remain an elected representative – the party will further discuss what its next steps may be at its AGM this weekend.
Embattled MP Darleen Tana says she’s “determined to continue serving the people” after she sat in Parliament for the first time since becoming an independent, amid continuing calls from her former party to quit.
The former Green MP appeared defiant in response to the Green caucus’ demands as she spoke at an impromptu media conference this afternoon.
“I’m here now and doing the mahi, for as long as this place will allow me,” she said.
“It’s been a long time out, and I’ve been very keen to do the mahi. I’m pleased to be back and I’m determined to continue serving the people.”
If Tana chooses not to resign before the weekend, the party will discuss its potential next steps at this weekend’s AGM.
Asked what she wanted to achieve now as an independent MP, Tana said: “I came in to work on ocean protection and restoring inner-coast marine environments.
“Those are the areas in particular that I’d love to focus on and working across Parliament to achieve some movement in those areas.”
Tana said she hadn’t had any contact with the Green Party since a summary of an independent investigation had been publicly released last week.
Earlier, the independent MP could be seen in Parliament’s debating chamber, seated directly behind her former colleagues. Tana appeared mostly expressionless and contemplative throughout the first several minutes of question time.
The embattled MP suggested she would continue as an independent representative at Parliament. (Source: 1News)
Her position in the far corner of the room was previously home to other exiled MPs, including Gaurav Sharma, Elizabeth Kerekere, and Jami-Lee Ross.
Asked by reporters if it felt isolating being in the spot, Tana responded: “Not at all. My pronouns are they/them. I never walk alone, in fact.”
Tana has been under scrutiny since March when it was revealed the business owned by her husband, Christian Hoff-Nielsen, was subject to allegations of migrant worker exploitation. That business went into liquidation last Wednesday.
Speaking to media, Tana was asked directly whether she had any involvement with any alleged migrant exploitation at her husband’s business.
She responded: “What I can categorically say is that we’ve spent so much money – wasting taxpayers, hard-earned money – to find out that I am married to my husband, for better or for worse.”
Earlier, Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick told media it was a “really sad state of affairs”.
“No, I have not heard from her. Today, I sent her another follow-up email asking for her to respond formally to our request for her resignation,” she said.
‘Sensitive conversations’ to be held at Greens AGM
The former Green MP returned following migrant exploitation allegations involving her husband’s business. (Source: 1News)
Tana earlier told 1News she was still consulting with people close to her about a decision on whether to quit. The first-term MP was elected last year through the Greens’ list.
Her former party can use waka-jumping legislation to force their former MP out of Parliament, but the party has long held a principled opposition to using it.
Swarbrick has not ruled out that the mechanism could be used in Tana’s case. She said today the issue would be addressed at the party’s upcoming AGM this weekend.
“We have to wait and see as to what happens today and throughout this week. But, [if we are] in a situation where we have to explore other options, then we will have those sensitive conversations at our AGM this coming weekend,” Swarbrick said.
“There are a number of members, across the country, who have reached out to me incredibly frustrated about this situation and about Darleen Tana’s unwillingness to take responsibility for what’s happened here.”
She added: “That will be a sensitive conversation with our party and this is something that if our caucus were to potentially entertain using, we would not do so without the backing of our party.”
At a press conference Chloe Swarbrick said it was clear Tana’s behaviour fell short of that expected of an MP, and it was their “very strong view” she had misled her and co-leader Marama Davidson. (Source: 1News)
Last week, Tana said she consulted with whānau, hapu and iwi groups, executive assistant support, lawyer, and people she works with in the “oceans and forest space”.
It followed her resignation from the Green Party over an independent investigation, which found she “likely” knew about allegations of migrant worker exploitation at her husband’s business, before advising the party. It’s a conclusion Tana rejects.
She has been asked, repeatedly, by the Green Party to resign from Parliament, with Swarbrick saying the report’s findings mean she is no longer fit to be an MP.
Tana says the report was not comprehensive, did not follow natural justice and that the Green Party had a predetermined view of its outcome.
Swarbrick used the report’s release to push Tana to quit, saying: “This executive summary makes it very clear that Darleen has failed to meet the standards we expect — not only of MPs within our caucus, but across Parliament entirely.
“Darleen was given multiple opportunities to be upfront about the serious allegations she was facing but chose to obfuscate instead of answering straightforward questions, prompting the need for an independent investigation,” the party co-leader said.
The MP was interviewed by 1News Political Editor Maiki Sherman, denying migrant exploitation at her husband’s business. (Source: 1News)
She added: “We are deeply disappointed that Darleen Tana has not been forthcoming about nor taken accountability for very serious breaches of our kaupapa, nor even acknowledged the impact of her behaviour on others.
“Her staying on as an MP risks undermining the credibility of Parliament as well as the faith the public has in it as an institution.”
