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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has revealed she has not heard from suspended Labour MP Dr Gaurav Sharma in almost a week and acknowledged that he is not her priority right now.
Speaking to TVNZ's Breakfast show this morning, Ardern said this was a sad set of circumstances for her and the Labour Party caucus.
"This is a member of our team. We also put forward mediation to try and resolve the issues - but you can see from the actions, there has been an unwillingness to engage.
"I still, for instance, haven't had any response to my phone calls or messages after the caucus decision was made."
Sharma was suspended last Tuesday after serious bullying allegations he made against fellow MPs. It was a unanimous vote.
Ardern was speaking early this morning from flood-stricken Nelson, where she will survey the damage caused by heavy rain last week and the impact it has had on local residents.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and suspended Labour MP Dr Gaurav Sharma pictured in 2020. Photo / Supplied
Decked in a rain jacket, she acknowledged that there were other priorities to deal with at the moment - and Sharma was not one.
"I shouldn't be here talking about the actions of an individual MP right now," she said.
"There are people who have lost their homes. This is not the most important thing for them (Caucus) and I can tell you, it is not the singular focus for me."
Asked whether she had faith in Sharma at this point, Ardern smiled slightly, before saying: "Well...I think you would've seen from our actions that at every stage, we've tried to leave the door open."
She was also asked about Sharma's future in the party and whether or not he would be expelled. The Labour caucus meets again tomorrow to determine his fate.
Ardern said that decision - including her own take on the issue - would be one for caucus to discuss and decide accordingly.
"They're feeling really disappointed," she said.
Tuesday's suspension came after the Hamilton West MP took his concerns and claims about bullying within the Labour Party to the media, which included a column he wrote for the Herald.
Late last week, on Thursday, Sharma told Newshub there was "something very big" going on within the party and that there was a cover-up of sorts.
