Rogue Labour MP Gaurav Sharma has broken his silence.
Rogue Labour MP Gaurav Sharma has broken his silence.
Rogue Labour MP Dr Gaurav Sharma has broken his silence after being suspended from Labour's caucus on Tuesday - accusing the PM and her office of a "cover-up".
In an echo of the Jami-Lee Ross scandal, Sharma recorded a private phone conversation with another MP, who did not know they were being recorded.
Sharma then leaked that tape to the media, attempting to prove his point. The Prime Minister's Office says the recording misrepresents a conversation with a colleague.
"What is the Prime Minister trying to hide," he asked Newshub during an interview today, when he alleged he was suspended from her party in a "kangaroo court" process.
Sharma was suspended from Labour's caucus on Tuesday after breaking caucus confidence in a series of Facebook posts. He alleges a rampant culture of bullying in the party, which the party denies. He wants a public inquiry into his claims.
Sharma delivered Newshub a secret recording of another MP briefing him about Labour's secret meeting in which MPs met to discuss Sharma's fate.
This meeting was held on Monday night, ahead of the formal caucus meeting on Tuesday at which Sharma was suspended.
Labour MP for Hamilton West Dr Gaurav Sharma with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2020. Photo / Supplied
Sharma claims the recording disproves Labour leader Jacinda Ardern's claim that Tuesday's expulsion was not decided at the secret meeting the night before.
"You have my assurance and word here it would not have been keeping within the rules to make any predetermination and we were very clear that we wouldn't and we didn't," Ardern said on Tuesday.
Sharma alleges that was not true. Sharma's recording, which was revoiced by Newshub to protect the caller's identity, said the suspension was "all predetermined".
Gaurav Sharma has broken his silence. Photo / Instagram
"This is purely just to get them where they want to be, which is for caucus to be aware that a decision will need to be made and that it will be, it's gonna be to whack you," the recording said.
Sharma said the decision was a "kangaroo court and a banana republic. I could show up and the decision was made the night before".
Sharma did not attend the meeting at which he was suspended.
Sharma is currently suspended, but Labour can choose to expel him from caucus and the party should they choose to.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday night suggested this was likely.
"On Tuesday the Caucus suspended Gaurav on the basis of repeated breaches of trust. This latest example of releasing and misrepresenting conversations with his colleague's reinforces that decision and will be discussed by caucus.
"As the Prime Minister said on Tuesday, we anticipated Gaurav would continue re-litigating matters in this way.
"He has still not responded to our communications about entering into mediation, instead using the media to make his point," said a spokesperson for the Prime Minister.
Later, a spokesperson for the Labour leader said the caucus would meet on Tuesday to consider a motion to expel Sharma.
"Gaurav has repeatedly breached his colleagues' trust, and caucus was clear that should there be further breaches such as this then further steps would be taken."
Sharma said the Prime Minister's office was trying to cover up something.
"This is the Prime Minister's office trying to cover something, and I am saying this isn't just about bullying there's a lot more here," Sharma said.
He said new Labour MPs were recently coached on how to keep information out of the public domain - including how to avoid having communications picked up by the Official Information Act.
Sharma alleges bullying in Labour. Labour and Parliamentary Service say Sharma was being managed after difficulties with staff. One former staffer has accused Sharma of bullying.
