Embattled MP Darleen Tana Returns to Parliament Amid Controversy
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Darleen Tana, the embattled MP, made her return to Parliament today for the first time since resigning from the Green Party. Parliament resumed after a long recess, with only one sitting week since the Budget was delivered on May 30.
The big question was whether Tana, suspended in March over allegations of migrant exploitation at her husband’s bike business, would show up. An independent lawyer reviewed her conduct during this period and found it lacking, leading to her resignation from the Green Party before she could be expelled.
Tana is now likely to be assigned a seat in the far corner of the debating chamber, an area colloquially known as “Siberia.” This area has previously been home to other MPs who fell out with their parties, such as Jami-Lee Ross, Gaurav Sharma, and Elizabeth Kerekere.
When Parliament resumed at 2 PM, Tana was seated at the back of the chamber, directly behind the Green Party. As Te Pāti Māori MPs entered, they greeted her warmly.
The Green Party has called for Tana to resign from Parliament altogether, a sentiment echoed by Labour leader Chris Hipkins. However, Tana has shown no indication of stepping down.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is back in the country after attending the NATO summit earlier this month, where he mingled with world leaders. He took a brief holiday last week before returning to New Zealand.
During Question Time, the focus was on finance and health. Finance Minister Nicola Willis discussed the cost-of-living crisis, noting that annual inflation at 3.3% is the lowest it has been in three years. Labour’s Finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds pressed Willis on whether she had refused any funding requests for additional frontline services. This question arose amid reports that the Government is trimming funding for frontline health services by imposing a de facto hiring freeze.
Health Minister Shane Reti denied any hiring freeze, stating that hundreds of nurses and doctors have been employed or accepted offers of employment in recent months. However, Labour’s Health spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall contradicted this, claiming she had heard from frontline workers about vacant roles being cut and job ads disappearing.
As Parliament continues its session, the controversies surrounding Tana and the Government’s handling of health funding remain hot topics of debate.