Summarised by Centrist
Political commentator Liam Hehir observes that the Green Party is facing a dilemma as they consider using the same waka-jumping law they once staunchly opposed to remove MP Darleen Tana from Parliament.
“The Greens have long portrayed themselves as the most principled and morally superior party in Parliament, lecturing others on the high standards they claim to uphold. And this was obnoxious enough. In recent years, however, the party’s sanctimony has turned into sheer hypocrisy, revealing them to be not the party of principle they proclaim, but the party of self-serving contradictions,” he writes.
As Hehir sums up the Greens position: “Waka-jumping laws are fundamentally undemocratic and wrong—except when a coalition agreement forces us to support them, after which we will vote for their repeal to affirm our opposition, but then consider using them ourselves if a rogue MP becomes an embarrassment.”
Hehir notes that in contrast, National has remained consistent in their stance against waka-jumping. Meanwhile, Labour kept the law after NZ First left Parliament in 2020 but chose not to use it when Meka Whaitiri defected to Te Pāti Māori, further demonstrating the law’s selective application.
However, Hehir is no fan of the law. Noting why it is ‘fundamentally flawed’ he writes:
“The waka-jumping law is problematic even for list MPs, who do not swear allegiance to their party but to the Crown, representing all New Zealanders.”
