Suspended Green MP Darleen Tana has missed as many Parliament sitting days as she's been present this year

  • 16/05/2024

Suspended Green MP Darleen Tana has now missed as many Parliament sitting days this year as she has been present - despite being on full pay. 

The party stood down Tana on March 14 after allegations emerged of migrant exploitation involving her husband's business. 

A Stuff investigation found an employee of E-Cycles NZ, owned by Tana's husband Christian Hoff-Nielsen, claimed to be owed around $25,000 in holiday pay and wages. 

In April, Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson told The Hui host Julian Wilcox the investigation into Tana was nearing an end.   

However, another complaint has come to light which has delayed the Greens-commissioned independent investigation, which is being led by barrister Rachel Burt.

A Green Party spokesperson told Newshub on Thursday there was "currently no update to the independently led investigation". 

"The independent investigation began after it came to the Green Party's attention that Darleen may have had some prior knowledge of the allegations against her and we want to understand what Darleen knew, and when," the spokesperson said. 

"After the investigation began further information came to light, which has led to the investigation taking longer." 

The allegations came to light nearly two months after Golriz Ghahraman's resignation from the Greens after she was charged with shoplifting from several stores. 

Ghahraman pleaded guilty to four counts of shoplifting in Auckland District Court on March 13. She is due back in court on June 24.