NZ Greens in turmoil as Elizabeth Kerekere mistakenly posts ‘crybaby’ message about in wrong chat
How an awkward message accidentally sent to the wrong group chat upset a major political party
- NZ Greens MP posts in wrong chat group
- It called finance spokesperson Chloe Swarbick ‘a crybaby’
- MP Elizabeth Kerekere was responsible for the error
The New Zealand Greens are in turmoil after everyone’s worst nightmare: a message sent to the wrong group chat.
Greens MP Elizabeth Kerekere has shed light on infighting between parties by calling finance spokeswoman Chloe Swarbrick a “crybaby” in a group message to Greens MPs and staff.
Ms Kerekere removed the post after another Green MP, Ricardo Menendez March, pointed out the mistake, saying: ‘I think this is the wrong chat…?’
She then apologized.
“Kia or all of them. I wrote an inappropriate message here that was not intended for this thread and I apologize to everyone here,” she wrote.
Radio NZ, which released the story on Thursday with leaked photos of the messages, then reported that Ms Kerekere denied having sent the message.
Greens MP Elizabeth Kerekere has shined a light on partisan strife by calling a colleague a ‘crybaby’ in a group message to Greens MPs and staff in a massive group chat
Pictured is Chloe Swarbrick, the Greens’ financial spokeswoman
“I didn’t call Chloe a crybaby and I don’t think I can say anything about it, but I didn’t call her that either,” she told Radio NZ.
The episode is all the more embarrassing because two Greens MPs, Golriz Ghahraman and Julie Anne Genter, were caught on a parliamentary broadcast responding to the messages while Ms Swarbrick was speaking.
The pair openly gasp at the message, as Mrs. Ghahraman covers her mouth in horror.
Both Ms Swarbrick and Ms Kerekere were absent from question time on Thursday, with Ms Swarbrick telling the Stuff news agency that she was “focused on my work”.
Marama Davidson, co-leader of the Greens, said she and co-leader James Shaw were disappointed and that “the message seemed mean and not good-hearted.”
Mrs Kerekere was told to stay out on Thursday.
“We suggested it would be in everyone’s best interest for her to be out of the office today,” Ms Davidson said.
“We will fully investigate. We are taking this very seriously,” she told reporters.
‘At first glance, the content of the messages does not seem at all in line with cooperation and celebrating each other’s successes.’
Chief Whip Jan Logie has been asked to lead the internal probe.
The farce comes at an awkward time, with Greens grassroots members determining the all-important rankings for MPs ahead of the October election.
List rankings are crucial for small party MPs as their election is only guaranteed if they get a high list ranking.
Ms Kerekere’s mispost referred to that process and the fact that Ms Swarbrick had discussed a private member bill on Wednesday.
“Sucks that her bill goes through while ranking the list!” Please Universe, pick my account tomorrow,” read one message.
A follow-up text read, “OMG what a crybaby.”
In the draft list rankings determined by the party hierarchy, Ms Swarbrick was placed at three and Ms Kerekere at four – an increase from the last nine elections.
Ms Kerekere, a first-term MP from Gisborne, lost her COVID-19 wallet last year after breaking isolation rules to catch a flight while a family member had the virus.