Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is convening a special caucus meeting to decide on the future of a rogue MP who has attacked senior Labour figures, suggesting widespread bullying in the party.
Late last week, Gaurav Sharma, Labour's Hamilton West MP, went public with bombshell allegations of bullying and wrongdoing by the Parliamentary Service.
It has since been reported a number of Dr Sharma's former staff quit within months of taking jobs in his office, citing serious misgivings over his management.
After pointed attacks on Ms Ardern, Dr Sharma will now face a partyroom showdown this week which could include sanction or even suspension.
"We will look to try and seek resolution to these issues this week in order to give a pathway forward," Ms Ardern said.
The spat went public on Thursday when Dr Sharma penned a column in the NZ Herald alleging MP-to-MP bullying without specifics.
In lengthy Facebook posts since, one which ran to 2624 words, the former GP named whips Kieran McAnulty and Duncan Webb as alleged perpetrators.
The first-term MP said Mr McAnulty, since promoted by Ms Ardern to be emergency management minister, "kept gaslighting me, shouting at me, degrading me in front of caucus members ... and telling me that I was a terrible MP".
In one episode, Dr Sharma says he was left waiting by Mr McAnulty for two hours while he was drinking and watching an America's Cup sailing race.
Mr McAnulty has not responded to the claims, though Mr Webb issued a brief statement saying "at all times the Whip's office has acted in good faith and sought to work constructively" with Dr Sharma.
At the centre of Dr Sharma's misgivings is a freeze placed on his ability to hire staff.
In the Facebook post, he said he fell into a "cycle of stress, depression and lack of hope" and considered self-harm due to what he called "harassment" from both Labour whips and the Parliamentary Service.
Ms Ardern confirmed the hiring freeze placed on Dr Sharma was due to "more than one" staff raising employment matters in his office.
The NZ Herald reports three staff quit inside a year of working for Dr Sharma, one describing their former boss as "controlling".
"We identified - because staff raised it - issues with his management within his office, and interventions were made," Ms Ardern told the AM program.
"I place great priority on making sure we look after the people who work for us.
"If an MP doesn't take kindly to those interventions we will seek to work those through but that's very different from being able to substantiate that you have been bullied."
As Ms Ardern gave a press conference on Monday, Dr Sharma released screenshots purporting to be texts from fellow MPs who were also scared of Mr McAnulty.
"I want to say to Kieran tonight that I've caught a cold off the boy ... I want to avoid going in on Wednesday and Thursday," one reads.
"I fear that I will have serious mental health related issues staying here bro. I feel like I'm being poisoned," another read.
Ms Ardern said she believed parliament was a safer place to work - both for MPs and staffers - than when she was first elected.
"Is this a tough place to be? Yes," she said.
"That's why ... we have professional supervision on offer. We have management coaching on offer, professional development on offer."
The Parliamentary Service also dismissed a suggestion by Dr Sharma that funds were used inappropriately on staff travel.
Following Dr Sharma's outbursts, another disgruntled staffer has come forward with claims of mistreatment by another backbench Labour MP.
The staffer alleges poor behaviour by Tukituki MP Anna Lorck, including that she asked to be driven home after a drinking session.
Ms Ardern said that case was being dealt with by Parliamentary Service.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Australian Associated Press
