Green Party votes to waka-jump Darleen Tana

Photo: RNZ/Reece Baker
Photo: RNZ/Reece Baker
The Green Party's membership has voted to kick former MP Darleen Tana out of Parliament.

Green Party Co-Leader Chlöe Swarbrick confirmed the party voted unanimously to notify the Speaker and told Tana it was time for her to "do the right thing" and resign.

"Following the Special General Meeting to discuss the potential use of the Electoral Act to remove Darleen Tana as a Member of Parliament, party delegates have endorsed notice being given to the Speaker under section 55A(3)(b) of the Act.

"The proposal to provide the Speaker with notice under the Electoral Act was approved by the consensus of all 185 delegates present at the meeting.

"Hon. Marama Davidson and I have written to Darleen Tana to inform her of this, and for the last time request she finally do the right thing, take accountability and resign as a Member of Parliament.

"We have also written to the Speaker outlining that we believe Darleen's resignation from the party but not from Parliament has affected the proportionality of the House, triggering the next step of the legislation.

"From the outset, we have done all we can to navigate the situation in front of us with our values as the guiding star. I am proud of how we have held true to these throughout this process."

Green Party members were meeting this evening to decide whether to use the so-called "party-hopping" legislation to remove former Green MP Darleen Tana from Parliament.

Despite an eleventh-hour appeal from Tana through the courts, the vote has gone ahead.

Party members needed to reach a consensus over whether the legislation - which the Greens have historically opposed - should be used.

Tana took the party to court last month to argue the Green Party's disciplinary process had been unlawful, unauthorised by the party's constitution, unreasonable and unfair.

However, the judge rejected her claims, leaving the Greens free to proceed with the Special General Meeting.