Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has hit back at ex-Green MP Darleen Tana's claims she was unfairly treated, saying "feelings are one thing ... but facts are another".
It follows a 1News exclusive sit-down interview with Tana yesterday, where she faced questions about what she knew and when, and whether she will resign from Parliament after a Green Party-instigated independent investigation over allegations of migrant worker exploitation at Tana's husband's business.
Watch the full interview on TVNZ+
It comes as Tana's lawyers tell the party to release the independent report into allegations of migrant worker exploitation. (Source: 1News)
The investigation found she "likely" knew about the allegations prior to disclosing them to the party. As a result of the report — which has not yet been made public — the Green Party caucus unanimously agreed to ask Tana to resign from Parliament.
Tana resigned from the Green Party but remains — for now — as an independent MP. In the interview, Tana said she was "silenced" and "isolated" by the party during the investigation, ambushed at a caucus meeting that would decide her fate, and that she was "out" of her husband's business.
'Feelings are one thing ... facts are another'
Today, Swarbrick responded to Tana's comments in the interview, saying while she was not surprised by them, she rejected them.
She said the party still wanted Tana to resign from Parliament.
"Thousands of Green Party volunteers across the country mobilised for months in order to earn the faith and the trust of over 300,000 New Zealanders in order for the Greens to gain 15 seats at this most recent election.
"Those 15 seats belong to the Green Party kaupapa, policies and values."
Asked if Tana's feelings about the way the party treated her were valid, Swarbrick said: "Sure, feelings are one thing, but again, the facts are another."
"Darleen has lost the faith and the trust of myself and of Marama, but also unanimously of our entire caucus."
Swarbrick said it was "great" to hear Tana express in the interview she supported the release of the independent investigation's report — something the Green Party had halted until all parties named in its executive summary had consented to its release.
"We're really looking forward to working through the final privacy considerations there and getting this report out there in the public because we believe that the public deserve the scrutiny and transparency in this issue."
Swarbrick sought assurances MPs didn't leak report
She said given Tana had publicly told 1News she consented to the report's release, "we're in a pretty good place to ensure that the public has that information and is able to get access to that information".
Swarbrick said the executive summary of the report had been provided to all named parties and she had "absolutely not" leaked it to the media herself.
"That's laughable.
"We are and continue to be very interested in getting that report out there legitimately which is why we said in the press stand-up on Monday last week that we were working through all of those privacy considerations because not only are there legal ramifications but for us ethically, we hold that stuff pretty highly."
Swarbrick said she could "categorically" say neither she nor any caucus member had provided the report to any journalist.
She said she had sought assurances from MPs and staff none had leaked the report "through conversations".
"The version which appears to have been leaked was not provided to anybody but the named parties within the executive summary."
Swarbrick did not want to "speculate" on who leaked the report.
'She knew what she was walking into'
Swarbrick also responded to Tana's claim to 1News the party had a pre-determined view on the outcome of the report, and that the co-leaders recommended her resignation from Parliament before she had a chance to speak to caucus colleagues.
"The draft report was provided to Darleen approximately a fortnight prior to us getting the final report.
"Given that we had initiated this independent expert investigation, it only made sense that we went to the conclusion of that investigation prior to having a conversation."
The former Green MP has spoken out after the party asked them to leave Parliament altogether following allegations of migrant worker exploitation at their husband's business. (Source: TVNZ)
Asked if Tana had been right to have felt isolated, Swarbrick said she could not speak for Tana but the "core point" was that the report would not have been required if Tana had been "upfront and honest" with the co-leaders "from the get-go".
She said the party had to "move quickly" because the public expected "swift decisions that are made efficiently, but in line with the values of political parties when dealing with situations such as this".
"On the Saturday morning, hours prior to the caucus meeting, I personally called Darleen Tana and informed her on the phone that myself and Marama were making the recommendation for the request of her resignation to our caucus.
"So she knew that, I followed that up with an email confirming that that was the content of the conversation, and then of course we reiterated that at the caucus.
"The very point and purpose of that was no surprises. She knew what she was walking into."
Lawyer formally contacts Greens
1News has seen a statement from Tana's lawyer which was sent to the Green Party today.
It said Tana had become aware the Green Party was publicly saying the executive summary of the independent investigation report was not being released because she had not agreed to it.
It said while Tana and her representation had previously advised the party it viewed releasing the report or any part of it would breach Tana's privacy, the party had already made public statements that went far beyond what the report said, and in itself constituted a "flagrant" breach of Tana's privacy.
"Darleen believes that it is now necessary for the executive summary to be released in order to mitigate some of the damage arising from the misinformation that has been put into the public domain."
It said she therefore withdrew her objection to it but noted she had "effectively been subject to duress" and reserved her rights accordingly.
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