Benjamin Doyle could soon be the Green Party's newest MP. Photo: Supplied/ Green Party
The Green Party's bid to oust former MP Darleen Tana from Parliament, under the waka-jumping legislation, is now in the hands of Speaker Gerry Brownlee.
If he gives his assent, Tana will exit Parliament and the Greens will welcome new MP Benjamin Doyle in her place, party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said.
Doyle is of Ngāpuhi and Pākehā descent and stood for the party in the Hamilton West electorate at the 2023 general election.
They were 18th on the Green Party list at that election.
According to a press release issued at the time, the former high school teacher spent nine years in the education sector in both Auckland and Hamilton, most recently as a kaupapa Māori researcher at the University of Waikato.
Speaking to media after the vote to oust Tana on Thursday night, Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March said he was looking forward to seeing Doyle bring their wealth of education experience to Parliament.
Doyle, who is in their early 30s, describes themself as proudly takatāpui (a Māori member of the Rainbow Communities) and whaikaha (disabled).
They have spent time organising community wānanga for rangatahi Māori, artists, and takatāpui & LGBTQIA+ people in both Hamilton and across New Zealand, they say.
In the Greens' 2023 press release, they described themself as "a progressive candidate who represents a vision for bold climate and social action".
In a profile for The Spinoff's complete guide to the 2023 election, they gave these as their priorities:
- Advocate for greater investment in efficient, accessible and carbon neutral regional public transport.
- Protect and restore natural habitats to regenerate biodiversity and increase climate resilience.
- Enable people in our city to meet their daily living needs with our guaranteed minimum income policy.
"My dream is for a society that we are proud to leave for our tamariki mokopuna. A society that thrives because of our caring and reciprocal relationship with the environment," they told the Spinoff.
"A society that enacts the promises of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and within which our parliament centres equity and justice in every policy decision and political debate. A society where all communities have enough to live safe, happy and fulfilling lives."
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