'It was awful': Golriz Ghahraman says she didn't see Rose Matafeo's email before axing

Name: Focus: Golriz Ghahraman puts her politics on the line
Uploaded: 2017-11-27T16:20:31+13:00
Description: Golriz Ghahraman is NZ’s first refugee elected to parliament – so what’s shaped her politics and what does she hope to achieve in government? Video / NZ Herald

By Amelia Wade

Political reporter·NZ Herald·

30 Jun, 2020 02:44 AM2 mins to read

Golriz Ghahraman is NZ’s first refugee elected to parliament – so what’s shaped her politics and what does she hope to achieve in government? Video / NZ Herald

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman says she didn't see comedian Rose Matafeo's email last week asking why she'd been axed as host of her party's campaign launch.

The award-winning comedian tweeted yesterday she'd been asked to stand down as MC for the event at the request of Ghahraman and attached an email to the MP asking why.

"I reached out last week to ask why and still have had no response. Gutting!"

Ghahraman said today she didn't see Matafeo's email and has raised the comedian's comments with the Green Party.

"I've spoken to Rose and reached out and said, 'We should talk directly' and it appears to be a misunderstanding or a logistical problem."

Ghahraman said Matafeo was working it out with the party and that she was "welcome to host".

I reached out last week to ask why and still have had no response. Gutting! Still gonna vote Green though 💚 pic.twitter.com/sKHOk2wqeJ
— Rose Matafeo (@Rose_Matafeo) June 28, 2020

Asked about what she thought when reading Matafeo's comments, Ghahraman said: "It was awful.

"She must have felt really badly after trying to volunteer for us and that's devastating and it's so sad that I hadn't seen that email come through last week with everything else going on, but she wouldn't have known that."

A spokesperson for the Green Party said yesterday said Ghahraman was not involved with the decision as MPs weren't involved with organising party events.

Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman says she didn't see Rose Matafeo's email. Photo / Mark Mitchell

"Unfortunately, this seems to be the result of a miscommunication within the party. We are more than happy to discuss this with Ms Matafeo personally."

Ghahraman is in a relationship with NZ comedian Guy Williams, who Matafeo once dated.

Matafeo said she felt "incredibly disappointed" to be asked to step down, apparently at the request of Ghahraman, as she had "no relationship" with her.

Matafeo then appeared to hint at the fact she may have been removed as speaker due to previous ties with Williams and Ghahraman: "The only possible reason it could be is so petty I wouldn't dream of suggesting it."