Tana is on full pay while she is suspended, and will benefit from a backdated pay increase recommended bythe Remuneration Authority, like all other MPs.
Tana has been suspended from the party since March 14, pending an investigation into allegations made about her husband’s e-bike business. In March, Stuffreported on claims of migrant exploitation at her husband Christian Hoff-Nielsen’s bicycle company. Parliament sat for 15 days before her suspension. The end of the most recent sitting block last Thursday marked 15 sitting days since her suspension.
The party had been aware of one complaint, but was subsequently made aware of another. The second complaint included allegations made against Tana herself, although she had not been a director or shareholder of E Cycles NZ since 2019.
Darleen Tana has been suspended from the Green Party since March 14, pending an investigation into allegations made about her husband’s e-bike business. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Tana's husband, Christian Hoff-Nielsen. Photo / Jason Oxenham
The party commissioned an investigation by barrister Rachel Burt in March. Co-leader Marama Davidson told The Hui on April 9 the report might be released shortly.
“We know we are coming towards the end of that independent investigation,” Davidson said.
She said the Greens always expected it to take between two and four weeks.
“The investigation was always going to be robust and careful, to make sure it does what it needs to do, which is talk to the right people.
“We don’t apologise for the investigation taking too long,” Davidson told The Hui.
It has now been eight weeks since the investigation was launched.
Last week in Parliament, Davidson defended the length of the investigation.
“There is a natural justice process here because it is determining what actually happened and we can’t go investigating any worker’s pay while this is happening,” she said.
Both Davidson and co-leader Chloe Swarbrick said they had been clear at their frustration with how long it was taking to come to an answer.
Thomas Coughlan is Deputy Political Editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since 2018.
