![]() ![]() There has been a push to improve workplace culture in Parliament following a review which found major holes in processes. Parliamentary Service, Chief Labour Whip Duncan Webb and the Prime Minister all mentioned the need to support MPs and their staff. He hadn't "necessarily welcomed" these attempts, she said. Instead, she said a "number of interventions" had been made to try to resolve issues in Dr Sharma's office, but these had "given rise to some issues from Gaurav's perspective". Jacinda Ardern disputed allegations of bullying within the party, saying she had seen "no evidence" of anything framed like that. The next day, the Prime Minister fronted. During that process, hiring for Dr Sharma's office was paused while he received mentoring. Parliamentary Service and the Labour Whips office both responded by saying they had been engaged with Dr Sharma in dealing with issues raised about him by staff members. He revealed later that day that he had taken his complaints to the Prime Minister's Office last year and "nothing has been done". The piece argued that MP-to-MP and party-to-MP bullying was "rampant in Parliament" and that Parliamentary Service - which provides administrative support to MPs and staff - "promoted and facilitated" this by "working behind the scenes" with party Whips, leaders, and the Prime Minister's Office.ĭr Sharma said it was his experience that when an MP raises issues with Parliamentary Service that it "stonewalls the conversation, ghosts the MP and throws them to the Whip's office to be gaslighted and victimised further so that the party can use the information to threaten you about your long-term career prospects". Published on the NZHerald website last Thursday, a column from Dr Gaurav Sharma, first elected to Parliament during Labour's 2020 election landslide victory as the MP for Hamilton West, raised concerns about bullying within Labour. While most political observers last week had their eyes trained on the controversy unfolding within the National Party - newbie Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell admitted violently attacking a student at school two decades ago and faced allegations of terrorising a flatmate - another little-known MP was about to make waves. 'Rampant in Parliament' Thursday, August 11 So how did we get here - and what could happen next? It was later confirmed the Labour caucus would meet on Tuesday to consider expelling him.īut Dr Sharma is promising to not go down without a fight, telling Newhub on Thursday he was prepared to be expelled and he was sticking to his principles. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister on Thursday night said Dr Sharma's latest actions were another "example of releasing and misrepresenting conversations with his colleagues". Labour has rejected his allegations over the past week and Dr Sharma has provided no evidence to substantiate his bullying claims. But there was an opportunity for the Hamilton West MP to return, with a review of his suspension set for December.īut any chance of the backbencher being welcomed back likely went up in flames on Thursday night when he spoke out again by telling Newshub Political Editor Jenna Lynch that the Prime Minister and her office were covering up bullying within Labour. The Labour leader showed little sympathy for Sharma, instead supporting MPs who were reportedly "very hurt and upset" about Sharma's "repeated breaches of trust".Labour's Dr Gaurav Sharma dropped bombshell after bombshell in an exclusive interview with Newshub on Thursday night, levelling allegations squarely at the Prime Minister and releasing a secret recording he says proves a late-night meeting of MPs this week determined his fate.Īfter drip-feeding claims to the media for days, Dr Sharma was punished by Labour this week, suspended from its caucus effective immediately. McAnulty has not responded to repeated requests for comment but in an interview with 1News yesterday, he echoed Ardern's earlier statements. She added there had been some form of resolution to Sharma's "employment matters" that had sparked the saga, but gave few details on the nature of the resolution. ![]() Any voting rights, apart from a conscience vote, would be exercised on his behalf.Īrdern said a mediation process had been initiated between Sharma and other aggrieved parties, through which he could go through his concerns.Īrdern stood by her view that Sharma's claims of bullying - particularly relating to former senior whip and MP for Wairarapa Kieran McAnulty - were not substantiated and did not require investigation. Photo / Suppliedĭespite being suspended, Sharma could attend Parliament and take part in select committee. Dr Gaurrav Sharma and Jacinda Ardern pictured together in 2020. ![]()
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