An employment advocate representing two ex-employees of Darleen Tana's husband's company says yesterday's developments in the MP's situation have left the former workers feeling "vindicated".
List MP Tana resigned from the Green Party following an independent investigation amid allegations of migrant worker exploitation at her husband's bike business. The Greens have asked Tana to quit Parliament entirely following the Green Party-instigated independent investigation into what Tana knew and when.
The report has not been made public.
The now-independent MP said the new report "substantially misrepresents" her involvement in her husband's business.
Tana said she did not feel "natural justice has been followed during this process".
This morning on Breakfast, Alex Kersjes said the former workers "feel vindicated".
"Our camp were pleased with the outcome [yesterday]," he said, adding his clients are "really pleased that the truth is out there".
"It had obviously been a bit of a drawn-out process, but, certainly not overly surprised with the lack of accountability being shown by Mrs Tana – this has been a really common theme throughout this entire ordeal."
Kersjes hasn't seen the report yet, he added.
Why isn't the report public?
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick told Breakfast that the party couldn't make the report public because it had to "follow good process and privacy law". All parties named in the report would have to approve its release, Swarbrick said.
"If Darleen is interested in disputing the facts of this finding, of that report, then she can give her consent to its release and we can have this debate in the public arena."
The party hasn't discussed enforcing the waka-jumping law, she added.
"Those are not conversations which as yet we've had with our caucus or with our party.
"At this point in time, the ball is in Darleen's court and we've asked her for her resignation. We continue to believe that that is the best way for this situation to de-escalate and to minimise harm to everyone involved in this situation."
The acting prime minister said the opposition party has been "irresponsible in the extreme". (Source: Breakfast)
Swarbrick also defended her party's vetting process. She said it "largely" relied on people being "upfront and honest".
"We've made it clear as the Green Party that we do not believe that she is fit to be a member of Parliament.
"She has betrayed our principles, our policies and our values."
Acting PM slams Greens Party's 'multi-vowel word sandwiches'
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters – who is acting prime minister while Christopher Luxon is overseas – slammed the Green party over the saga.
He told Breakfast the scandal is "not a surprise", urging the Greens to invoke the waka-jumping law and calling the opposition party naive.
"This is about proportionality," he said. "When the public vote in an election, they vote for a party vote and that proportion of the vote is the number of MPs they have."
He emphasised the cost to the taxpayer of the report, and of Tana's salary continuing to be paid.
The investigation cost over $40,000, most of which was paid from the party's bulk allowance, which is taxpayer funded.
And Tana has been on a $168,600 salary for much of the time she's been suspended, earning tens of thousands of dollars while away from Parliament.
"No accountability to the public here from the Greens at all," Peters said. "Now they're sitting there with multi-vowel word sandwiches, so to speak, waving their hands and saying how it's ruining their kaupapa, whatever that might mean in the Green Party's case.
"In short, it's irresponsible in the extreme," he said, adding a dig against Te Pāti Māori.
"[Tana] will probably go and join the Māori Party, because they don't give a rat's about how standards are any more in Parliament."
Tana's response
Tana has not responded to requests for comment, but yesterday released a statement.
"I can confirm that I received a copy of the Final Report on Saturday morning and attended a caucus meeting that day where it was discussed. I do not feel that natural justice has been followed during this process, and at Saturday’s hui it seemed clear that a pre-determined view had been formed prior to hearing from me. I can confirm, as indicated during today’s conference with the Green Party leadership, that I have subsequently resigned as a member of the Green Party.
"I want to make it clear that I do not accept the findings of the report and believe that it substantially misrepresents the level of my involvement in my husband’s business. This was an investigation into what I knew and should have disclosed to my party leadership. I am therefore deeply concerned by the party’s summary of the findings. The report does not say that migrant exploitation has occurred, let alone that I am responsible for it in any capacity.
"I have only had a short time to consider this report, and am taking some time to consider it before making any further comment."
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