Kerekere attacks ‘epic failure of leadership’

Outgoing MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere says she will put her future energy into research and ensuring Pae Ora (Healthy Futures Strategies) “delivers everything it claims it will for Māori, Pasifika, women, rainbow people, people with disabilities, in rural areas, and with rare disorders”. File picture

Gisborne-based retiring list MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere has delivered a wide-ranging valedictory speech in the House which included an expected attack on the leadership of her former party, the Greens.

But the one-term MP who resigned from the Green Party in May, as well as speaking about her achievements as a MP, also praised unexpected cross-party collegiality and invited MPs to her farewell party, during her Wednesday night farewell speech.

Dr Kerekere said her falling out with the Green Party was handled “quite discreetly, and, actually, it was not fun”.

The controversy arose from a group chat message from Dr Kerekere mentioning a “crybaby” which the Green Party leadership claimed was directed at Green Party Central Auckland MP Chlöe Swarbrick.

“Day after day, week after week, month after month, I watched while increasingly unfounded and increasingly elaborate allegations were made about me,’’ said Dr Kerekere.

“They also claimed that these issues were being resolved by some sort of process that they had under way.

“I categorically dispute all such allegations.”

There were no formal complaints, no natural justice, and no process, let alone a tikanga-based one.

“I consider this to be an epic failure of leadership.”

Dr Kerekere said she thought the theatre of the debating chamber was indicative of relationships in the House.

“But, of course, it is not.

“The thing that most surprised me when I became an MP was how collegial it was, and we know we get most of the real work done in our select committees and cross-party parliamentary groups.

“I am such a big fan of the Health Select Committee.

“I am so proud to do that work, and it is the time when I most feel like a lawmaker, in that space working with my colleagues.

“I have such huge respect for the chairs and the members of that committee.”

Among her parliamentary achievements, Dr Kerekere referred to:

• ensuring that trans, non-binary, and intersex whānau could more easily change their birth certificates.

• putting the term takatāpui (intimate companion of the same sex) into legislation for the first time.

• working on a petition which gained 157,000 signatures in one week pressuring the Government to pass legislation banning conversion therapy.

• meeting with the authors of Matike Mai Aotearoa (The Independent Working Group on Constitutional Transformation) and He Puapua (report on appropriate measures to achieve the goals set out by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) which “radically shift the way we make decisions together in this country, and to work towards a future our ancestors dreamt of when they signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi”.

Supported occupations around the motu included at Ihumātao, Pūtiki, Aotea, and Mau Whenua.

Dr Kerekere said she entered Parliament as “part of the most diverse Green caucus ever, and, with four rainbow MPs, we proudly claimed to be the proudest party in the proudest Parliament in the world”.

She remained committed to the Green Party charter principles of ecological wisdom, social responsibility, appropriate decision making, and non-violence, “as I ever was”.

“My colleagues, you are all welcome to join our party tonight.

“There will be food, drink, a cashless cash bar and dancing.

“A shout-out to my favourite band, White Chapel Jak, who have come down from Auckland to perform for us, because if you want to catch up with me, you will need to go on to the dance floor.

“Finally, as I like to say, why do we get up in the morning if not to change the world?

“I’ve done that in every other part of my life, and with all of you I’ve done that here, and I’ll strive to keep doing it after I leave, because this is not the end of my story.

“Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora huihui mai tatou kātoa.”