Barry Soper: ZB Senior Political Correspondent on the Darleen Tana scandal

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters doesn't feel the Greens are doing all they can in regard to Darleen Tana. 

The Green Party's asked Tana to resign from parliament after receiving the investigation into alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business. 

Tana doesn't accept the findings, claiming it substantially misrepresents her level of involvement in the business. 

She's resigned from the party, but not yet Parliament. 

Peters says they could expel Tana, utilising the waka-jumping legislation and forcing her to step down as MP. 

Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper told Kerre Woodham that the Greens should "eat humble pie" and get rid of her through the legislation they’re vehemently opposed to. 

He said that there’s no way that she’s going to make one iota of difference to the votes in parliament. 

Soper said that if Darleen Tana stays on, it shows that the money is of more interest to her than what is democracy. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerry Wood and Morning's podcast from
News Talk, said b.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Deputy Prime Minister. Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters says the
Green Party could expel Darling Tana. The Green Parties asked
Tana to resign from Parliament after receiving the investigation into
alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business. Tanna doesn't accept
the findings, claiming it substantially misrepresents her level of involvement
in the business. She's resigned from the party, but not

(00:34):
yet Parliament. Barry's open newstook said be senior political correspondent,
joins me, Now, very good morning to you, Barry, and.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
A very good morning to you too, Kerrie.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Not a great morning for the Greens man They've had
a bad run.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
While I've got into an absolute ideological scrappier if you like, Carrie.
Because of course Winston Peters would say that the Greens
could sack Darlingana, and they indeed they could. That they
have to invoke the much loved Winston Peters Walker Jumping
legislation and vehemently opposed to that. And what that legislation

(01:09):
says is that if you come into Parliament on a ticket,
then you've got to respect that ticket, and if you
go contrary to the policies of the ticket, then you're
out of parliament. And I for one believe that. I
think Darlentana did not win in her own right getting
into Parliament. She won on the back of the Greens.

(01:30):
So the Greens have a right to throw her out.
But they have that problem with the walker jumping legislation.
I think they should eat humble pie and get rid
of her because she has no right to be there.
If she continues on as an independent Kerry, there is
no way that she's going to make one iota a
difference to the votes in Parliament. A lone voice in Parliament,

(01:53):
as we've seen on many occasions over the years, actually
means nothing unless there's a rave thin majority, and there's
not in this case.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
I saw the piece of newsroom where you can either
be useless and impotent or you can attack your own
party and savage it, as Jamie Lee Ross did by
being an independent and Guruvshama did when he was an independent.
Either way, you are not earning your keep, No you're not.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
And of course those two that you mentioned, they were
with the main parties, the big parties, and that can
be more embarrassing. But the Greens, the Greens hang their
dirty linen on the line. They certainly have this year
for all to see. So I don't think an independent
attacking the Greens is going to make much difference to
their standing or the public's ability to read how the

(02:47):
Greens stand in Parliament. But really I think Darling Tana,
if she stays on, it shows that the money is
more interest of more interest to her than what is democracy.
She stands to lose if you look at two and
a half years parliamentary salary about four hun grand. It's taxed,

(03:07):
of course, but it's a lot of money. But money
should not be the motivating feature of her staying in parliament.
I think she's got no choice but to leave. But
having said that, Kerry, I also believe that the public,
having spent a considerable amount of money on this solicitors
solicitors inquiry, then we have a right to see what

(03:30):
actually that is. Darlie Tanner would have us believe that,
look they set her up. She basically was on a
hiding to nothing and that may be the case, but
I doubt it. I'm sure if the Greens say there
was substance in the inquiry that shows that she did
exploit migrant workers, then you know she's got no place

(03:54):
in Parliament. And again you get back to the ideology
of the Greens kerry that you migrant workers, they would
claim to be the party of them. And if an
through her husband's business is seen to be abusing that,
of course she can no longer represent the Greens ticket.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
I mean it is a chance, I suppose for the
Greens to show that they've grown up, Yeah, that they
choose pragmatism over principle.

Speaker 3 (04:24):
Oh totally. And even though you know the former leader
jam Shaw has vehemently opposed to the Wacker jumping legislation
as going right back to Jeanette fitz Simon, yes, people
like that, they didn't want to bar but was first
brought in by Winston Peters. And I think the argument
to me is a sound one. You come in on

(04:44):
a party under MMP, you represent that party. You don't
then go on to represent yourself, which means nothing in Parliament.
So Darlene Tanner should come out and take it on
the chin and say, okay, I made a mistake, I'm
out of here.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
What are the odds of who doing that? Do you think?

Speaker 3 (05:06):
Depends on how her conscience is pricked. I guess I
think if she does stay on as an independent, she
would be probably most of one of the most unpopular
independents that parliament. Seeing we saw Elizabeth Kay Terry last year.
The Greens then wouldn't invoke the Waker jumping legislation either.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
But Elizabeth Kitty Kitty only had five months to go.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
Precisely Kerry, and it was close to an election, so
there was no point in using it and compromising their principles.
But in this case, we've got two and a half
years and you know, I think it will come to
an end. I think Darling Tana will indeed leave Parliament
if she's got any conscience, she will. If she stays on,

(05:53):
it's not going to be a pleasant place for her
to be working.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
No, It's a very lonely place to be an independent
in Parliament, isn't it. Barry Soper news Took said be
senior political correspondent.

Speaker 1 (06:02):
For more from Kerry Wooden Mornings, listen lived and used
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