Gareth Hughes: former Green MP responds to the Greens potentially using the waka-jumping laws to oust Darleen Tana

A former Green MP says he's baffled the party hasn't ruled out using waka-jumping laws against Darleen Tana.

The party has Tana to resign as an MP, after receiving a report on her knowledge of alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business.

Tana has quit the Green Party, but says she doesn't accept the report findings.

The Greens previously opposed laws that would now let them formally request Tana's removal from Parliament.

Former MP Gareth Hughes says he'd be very surprised it they changed their stance.

"It would be a huge departure for the Greens to use it, given their decades-long opposition to it under multiple leaders, multiple caucuses - they haven't used it in the past."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good afternoon. The Greens are facing a conundrum. They've got
the power to kick Darlene Tunner out of Parliament under
the Walker Jumping law, but they've made such a song
and dance of how much they opposed the law in
the past that using it would make hypocrites of them.
But if they don't use it, Darlene Tunner might stick
around because she so far ignored their request that she
resigned from Parliament over the report into her. Former Greens
MP Gareth hugheses with me on this. Hey Gareth, Yeah, coo, Heather,

(00:22):
do they use it or not?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, would be really surprised if they did use it,
and it would be a huge departure for the Greens
to use it given their decades long opposition to it
under multiple leaders and multiple caucuses. They haven't used it
in the past. I've spoken out very strongly against it,
so it would surprise me if they did end up
invoking it.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
So why aren't they ruling it out?

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, this is one I'm a little bit deafore to
be honest. I guess it's a question you'd have to
ask Chloe and the Green Paddy while they're not you know,
perhaps it looks like the relationship really has broken down.
So perhaps when you're in a tough negotiation, you want
to keep a little something up your sleeve. That's just
me speculating, but yeah, I would be surprised if they

(01:05):
invoted it.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
So what you're suggesting is it might just be a
leverage to help her make her decision herself with the
threat of them using this potentially.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Oh, it's possible, you know, I'm just entirely speculating at
this point. You know, the party has voted against it
in parliament. They begrudgingly voted for it, describing it as
a dead rat in the twenty eighteen term when it
was a part of the commitment of being in government
alongside Labor in New Zealand first. So they've always spoken
out very strongly against it because of the fact that

(01:37):
it stifles the freedom of speech of elected representatives. It
sort of maintains the party dominance and the power of leaders.
We've got some of the most party dominated parliamentary mechanisms
in the entire developed world. Our parties are stronger and
demand more than almost any other country. So this does
strengthen the hand of party leaders who have used it

(01:58):
to stifle defense. Descent was in their parties and that's
why CO leaders like janetfitz Simons and Rob Donald spoke
out so strongly against it.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah too right. I agree with you on that, Gareth.
Thank you very much, appreciate you time, mate. That's Gareth Hughes,
former Greens MP. For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive,
listen live to News talks 'B from four pm weekdays,
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