Darlene Tana says she is ‘relieved’ to leave Parliament

Ex-MP Darlene Tana says she is “relieved” she was kicked out of Parliament under the so-called “waka-jumping” law and revealed why she refused to quit her job despite repeated calls to her to do it.

Tana spoke exclusively to 1News following Speaker Gerry Brownlee’s confirmation that she would be expelled from Parliament after the Green Party invoked legislation to that effect.

It followed a decision by party delegates to instruct Green co-leaders to write to Brownlee, saying Tana’s departure from the party affected parliament’s proportionality – under so-called waka-hopping or “party-hopping” legislation.

The Greens stood firmly against the legislation despite voting for it because of Labor’s coalition agreement with New Zealand First in 2017 – with former party co-chair James Shaw calling it akin to swallowing a “dead rat”.

Despite the opposition, Tana’s removal from Parliament now means the Greens are the first party to take advantage. In July, Tana quit the party and became an independent MP after a meeting at which the Green faction asked her to resign from parliament.

The meeting was called after an independent report commissioned by the party found that Tana was “more likely than not” aware of allegations of exploitation of migrant workers in relation to her husband’s e-bike business.

Tana, who was the party’s spokesperson on small business issues, was first fired by the party on March 13. Speaking to 1News political editor Mikey Sherman at Wellington’s Oriental Bay newspaper, she said she learned of her suspension as an MP this morning.

“My reaction to this? In some parts I felt relief, but mostly just gratitude – gratitude to all my supporters who have supported me so far and continue to support me even now, who know that I am not to blame for anything.” that I didn’t do anything wrong.

“I am immensely grateful, and grateful to the New Zealand public, that I had the opportunity to work hard in Parliament, albeit in the short time I had.”

Asked whether she would challenge the decision, Tana said she respected the Speaker’s call.

“The law on changing parties does not leave much room for maneuver. There is an argument that some of its provisions may be subject to judicial review. But no, I guess, because I also feel a little relieved that I no longer have to stand there and wait, because… if I resigned, it would be, on the one hand, an admission of guilt and. .. I was not guilty.”

Tana said she fought to be expelled from parliament from the start “because fundamentally I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“If I knew what was going on in my husband’s business, I would have something to say to my managers.

“The charges against my husband have not yet been proven.

“I’m not one to live with regrets. Everything happened the way it happened. I can’t look back, I can only look forward.”

When asked if she took responsibility for any mistakes, Tana replied: “Show me the facts.”

“Show me evidence that I did something wrong.

“Whatever happens until proven innocent? A report was made, again, not based on any hard evidence, just accusations, and people believed it.

“Green Party leaders have continued their campaign of disinformation and disinformation against me. This is history more than anything else to do with political expediency.”

Tana’s removal from parliament ends a long-running saga that began in March when allegations against her husband’s business first became public.

On whether she regrets what happened, the former lawmaker said she is “a person who just works hard and gets to work.”

“I take my responsibilities where they lie.

“If I knew something was wrong or wrong, I would step in and help and sort it out and I would definitely tell my (Green Party) leaders.”

She said she hoped for the Green Party that “they will understand what tikanga Māori is”.

“This could all be resolved a lot quicker, a lot cheaper and certainly with everyone’s mana and integrity preserved if we went the tikanga Māori route, if we sat down around the table and just talked it out.”

Tana said she was unable to speak to Green Party members, reiterating claims of a “disinformation campaign” against her.

She said the scandal surrounding her had been “devastating” for her whānau and children.

“Having the media tell all sorts of stories about whether my husband and I were together and all that—it was very, very difficult. So I hope that with this closure and turning of a new page, people will just leave my whānau alone.”

Tana said that she gave aroha (love) to her supporters for their kahu (strength).

“Without them, without their support, I would not be able to stand as I do now, quietly and patiently, just doing mahi (work) inside parliament, despite all the noise going on.”

She said some of her supporters were “devastated” by the Green Party today.

“Devastated by the party we have all given so much to over the last few years to live by the values ​​of the Green Party, to see the party now completely at odds with its values, completely at odds with its political positions with respect. to, in this last example, the Party Activity Bill.”

Tana will be replaced by the next person on the Green Party list, Benjamin Doyle, who is expected to become the first non-binary MP.

Doyle uses they/them pronouns.

Process ‘in line with our values’ – Greens co-chair

This morning Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick said the party was “delighted” to be in a position “where we can finally draw a line under all of this”.

“We have exceeded legal requirements.

“Everything we did, we did in accordance with our values.”

Swarbrick said she was “incredibly confident” and “comfortable” with the party’s processes on the issue, and the Speaker also “dotted all the i’s and t’s”.

“I’m incredibly proud of the fact that we’ve taken this issue apart, looked at it from different perspectives and consistently come back to what we believe in and the things we’re trying to achieve as a political project, as the Green Party.

“I think it’s required us to test ourselves, develop and grow in certain circumstances, obviously struggle with some really difficult variables, but at the end of the day I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved.

“We have never pretended that democracy is not a messy process, and the Greens are widely known for having these conversations, both publicly and privately.”

Swarbrick said Tana’s claims that she did nothing wrong were “simply not consistent with the facts.”

Chronology

March 14 – Darlene Tana has been suspended from the Green Party pending an investigation into what and when she knew about allegations of exploitation of migrant workers at her husband’s business.

July 8 – Following the publication of an independent report into what Tana knew and when he met the Green faction to ask Tana to resign as MP.

July 28 – The co-leaders of the Green Party wrote to Tanya asking her to begin the waka transition process, giving her 21 working days to respond.

September 20 – Tana loses High Court hearing to prevent a Greens special general meeting at which she intends to decide whether to take the final step in the waka-jumping process – letter to the Speaker announcing Tana’s resignation as Green Party MP distorts proportionality parliament

October 17 – Green Party delegates reached consensus and wrote to the Speaker

October 22 – Speaker Gerry Brownlee tells Parliament that Tana is no longer an MP.

Additional reporting by Felix Desmarais