Darleen Tana Returns to Parliament, Blanks Greens
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Loading... - Marie Werner
- 23 Jul 2024
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Former Green MP Darleen Tana has made her return to Parliament as an independent MP, though her former party claims they haven't heard from her since her return. This development has sparked discussions within the Green Party regarding whether to use the so-called 'waka-jumping' legislation to eject Tana from Parliament.
Tana was ousted by the Green Party earlier this month after an independent investigation revealed that she likely knew about allegations of worker exploitation at her husband's business and failed to disclose them to the party until after last year's election. Despite the investigation, Tana denies any involvement in worker exploitation and maintains that the report did not find evidence of such exploitation.
Tana returned to Parliament, sitting alone behind the Green Party's caucus in the debating chamber. She expressed her eagerness to resume her work, particularly focusing on coastal protection and restoring the inner coast marine environment. She stated that she had not been in touch with her former party and had not heard from them since her return to Parliament.
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick indicated that the party might discuss Tana's future at their annual meeting, considering the possibility of invoking the waka-jumping rule to remove her from Parliament. The party has made several attempts to contact Tana, requesting her resignation, but have not received a response.
Key Points
Tana's Stand: Tana maintains her innocence regarding the allegations of worker exploitation and intends to focus on environmental issues.
Green Party's Action: The Green Party may consider using waka-jumping legislation to remove Tana from Parliament due to her alleged betrayal of party principles.
Next Steps: The party's annual meeting this weekend is expected to address the situation and potentially decide on Tana's fate.
The situation remains tense as the Green Party and Darleen Tana navigate this political and ethical controversy. Tana's independent stance and the Green Party's response will likely shape the next phase of this unfolding political drama.
