Dr Garuav Sharma's gone to ground and yet to comment on his suspension from the Labour Party caucus.
More than 24 hours since his damning demotion, the Prime Minister says she still hasn't spoken to her rogue MP.
Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday opened Waterview Primary in Auckland, seemingly stoked to be out of the Beehive.
"My job's very simple today. I think I get to plant a tree. I think I get to reveal a plaque," she told students.
She also got a friendly reminder of what her job is. Ardern asked the children what they thought a Prime Minister did. One replied, "work", to which she replied, "yes, work".
That work for the last week has been Dr Sharma damage control.
More than 24 hours on from his suspension from caucus, the Labour backbencher's yet to talk to his boss.
The radio silence is in stark contrast to his days of drip-feeding bullying allegations against his own party. Ardern maintains this all started with him.
"There were performance management issues, issues being raised by staff on more than one occasion in Gaurav Sharma's office."
But a former contractor who worked with Sharma earlier this year has told Newshub that's not what they'd experienced.
"Our relationship was very professional, very supportive. Whenever I needed his help or his input, he was open," they told Newshub.
They only met with him once a month, but say interactions they witnessed between Dr Sharma and his staff never indicated management problems.
They said they were "completely shocked" when they heard about the complaints against Dr Sharma.
"I never had that feeling that any staff or his office staff were feeling that situation," they said.
But there's still no commitment to investigate any of the complaints.
"What this situation needs is not a declaration, but mediation," said Ardern on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the leader of National - the party that has launched an investigation into allegations of bullying behaviour - revealed the public will never see the final report.
"We're going to keep the report private and confidential because it's important given the sensitivities that are in there," Christopher Luxon told AM on Wednesday.
Our two biggest parties' private matters playing out in public.
