Tana mulls Parliament return, may work near ex-Green colleagues

Darleen Tana is considering a return to Parliament next week and could end up working out of an office next door to her former Green colleagues, 1News can reveal.

Tana hasn't committed to making the trip to Wellington in order to resume her seat, but has made preparations for if she does, saying she might make the final call on Sunday.

Speaking exclusively to 1News, the MP said she was continuing to consult with others on whether she should stay on in Parliament long-term as an independent MP.

These included her whānau, hapu and iwi groups, as well as people she works with in the "oceans and forest space", executive assistant support and her lawyer.

It follows her resignation from the Green Party over an independent investigation, which found she "likely" knew about allegations of migrant worker exploitation at her husband's business, before advising the party. It's a conclusion Tana rejects.

She has been asked, repeatedly, by the Green Party to resign from Parliament, with co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick saying the report's findings mean she is no longer fit to be an MP, let alone a Green MP.

Tana says the report was not comprehensive, did not follow natural justice and that the Green Party had a predetermined view of its outcome.

She said yesterday she "absolutely" supported releasing the report's executive summary. 1News has seen an email today from Tana's lawyer formally consenting to the release.

The MP told 1News today she has discussed with the Clerk of the House what expectations are in place for her as an independent, adding she was "a very practical person" who wanted to know what she could do and what was expected of her.

Tana said she was a "professional" and wanted to fulfil any requirements of a sitting MP.

The office she once shared with the late Efeso Collins, who passed away in February, would now be hers alone as an independent MP.

However, the MP's workspace would still be in close proximity to her now-former Green colleagues, with their offices along the same hallway.

Typically, MPs of the same party are allocated a part of Parliament's offices together by Parliamentary Services, while MPs from other parties — including independents — are catered for separately.

Tana said she did not plan on seeking leave from Parliament, so will be present when Parliament sits again next week. Parliament has been in recess for the last three weeks, with many MPs returning to their home patches for that period — but they will return on Monday and Tuesday next week for a three-week sitting block.

Tana said she only regained access to her work email account today, after being locked out due to the length of her absence from Parliament while the investigation was underway.

Today, Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick responded to Tana's comments — made by the independent MP in a sit-down interview with 1News — saying the party continued to implore their former colleague to resign from Parliament.

Watch the full Darleen Tana interview on TVNZ+

Swarbrick said she had not had any conversations with Parliamentary Services about moving Tana out of the Green Party corridor.

Asked if she would be happy for Tana to stay among her ex-colleagues, Swarbrick said she hadn't "even thought about that, to be honest with you".

"Look, again, I'd make the same point that I've said time and again ... the Green Party caucus is calling on — unanimously — Darleen to do the right thing here and to resign, to minimise any further harm or collateral damage, least of all, to the kaupapa that we all say that we care so dearly about. The planet is on fire."

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.