Green MP apologises to former Internet Party leader after public spat

Laila Harre has recently rejoined the Labour Party. Photo / Fiona Goodall

Green MP Julie Ann Genter has publicly apologised to Laila Harre for criticising comments Harre made in an interview about her reasons for leaving the Greens.

Harre had claimed she left her role as issues director with the Green Party because she was unhappy with the way the Greens had handled a rebuffed attempt for a united campaign front with the Labour Party, claiming the Greens had leaked it.

In a spat on Twitter, Green MP Julie-Anne Genter said she had lost respect for Harre because of Harre's account about why she left the Greens in 2014.

The former Internet Party leader had also wrongly accused the Greens of leaking sensitive information, Genter said.

But this morning Genter backtracked, tweeting: "Truly sorry @lailaharre for tweets re @TheSpinoffTV i/v y'day - regret any slight to your integrity - hope to put in past. #ChangeTheGovt"

Truly sorry @lailaharre for tweets re @TheSpinoffTV i/v y’day – regret any slight to your integrity - hope to put in past #ChangeTheGovt

— Julie Anne Genter (@JulieAnneGenter) January 26, 2017

Harre has now re-joined the Labour Party and is considering standing as a candidate in the election, possibly in Auckland Central. The Green Party and Labour are in a more formal relationship after signing a memorandum of understanding.

This weekend Labour leader Andrew Little and Green co-leader Metiria Turei will deliver their state of the nation addresses together in Auckland.

Genter was responding to comments made by Harre in an interview with The Spinoff website.

Harre said she quit her role as issues director for the Greens in 2014 because of the way the party handled Labour's rejection of a formal pact between the two left-wing parties.

She said the Greens leaked details of their conversations with Labour "to disrupt the potential for a Labour-Green compact for 2014".

But Genter strongly disputed her version of events.

Genter tweeted that she "used to have a lot of respect for Harre" but her account of quitting the Greens "doesn't stack up".

Harre quit the Greens after being announced as Internet Party leader, and never said anything about being unhappy with the Green-Labour talks, Genter said.

She also contested Harre's claim about leaking.

"No one but Laila has ever claimed the Greens leaked that. In fact I heard from Labour insiders it was [former Labour MP] Shane Jones."

The Green MP went on to say she thought "false narratives need to be countered".

Harre stood by her comments, tweeting that she quit "after exactly the situation I describe".

The Greens approached Labour before the 2014 election with a proposal for a formal agreement. But it did not go ahead, partly because Labour found it difficult to get on with former co-leader Russel Norman. Norman also upset Labour by questioning the costs of their policies.

Norman's departure helped pave the way for the Labour-Green Memorandum of Understanding signed last year.

Genter is running in the Mt Albert by-election next month.

Harre is thinking about contesting the election as a Labour candidate, and told The Spinoff she might seek the nomination for Auckland Central, vacated by Jacinda Ardern.