gaurav sharma

Newstalk ZB's deputy political editor Jason Walls joins Nick Mills to discuss the Groundswell protest, National's 'new' welfare plan and Gaurav Sharma's political resignation.

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Today on The Huddle- We had David Farrar, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster, and Mike Munroe, former Labour Chief of Staff and current director at Mike Munroe Communications discuss the following topics:

Gaurav Sharma has resigned, triggering a by-election and he says watch this space regarding a new party.

Middlemore staff seem to be getting sick of the Government saying hospital short staffing is Covid related, these issues have been consistent for years.

ASB now picking OCR will hit 5.25 percent - Grant Robertson quick to put out a press release saying inflation is easing - he's not wrong, but still a rough number to hear. How were the Reserve Bank's numbers so far off? 

The final decision has been made made - AUT is closing its childcare centre. Couple of parents and the Tertiary union are pretty devastated but the uni says its not their priority.

The Transport Minister seems very over the Restore Passenger Rail protestors closing down motorways every morning.

13 percent of people were flying to Perth, Honolulu and Tahiti without taking a bag so Air New Zealand  has got rid of that option. But 13 percent of customers using that option is still surely significant?

All of these topics were discussed today on The Huddle!

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Gaurav Sharma surprised everyone today by abruptly resigning from his role in Parliament.

This decision has caught plenty of people off guard and generated discussion as to whether or not this will trigger a by-election.

Deputy political editor Jason Walls explained what's happening so far, and addressed Jacinda Ardern's resulting statement.

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MP Gaurav Sharma says he hasn't got fair treatment from Labour since the saga started two weeks ago.

Today the Labour caucus voted to expel him.

Labour MP Megan Woods joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.

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Dr Gaurav Sharma is still hoping for an independent investigation.

The MP for Hamilton East was expelled from Labour's caucus at a meeting on Tuesday morning.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said as far as Labour's caucus is concerned, the Sharma saga is over.

Sharma will now sit in Parliament as an independent MP. He is still a member of the wider Labour Party, although it is now very likely he will be expelled from that too.

He told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's going strong and this is about getting fair treatment.

"The message this sends is that if your boss is powerful enough, they can get away with anything and it’s the wrong message to send from parliament to all the New Zealanders out there.”

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Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper joined Kerre Woodham following Dr. Gaurav Sharma's expulsion from the Labour Party.

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He's said plenty in the media, they've said as little as possible (on the record, at least). That's left media weighing up whether MP-gone-rogue Dr Sharma has really lifted the lid on serous bullying - or just reacted badly to the oversight and occasional coercion that's part and parcel of politics in a governing party. Meanwhile, his claims that MPs have been coached to frustrate official information requests have piqued the particular interest of the media.

Labour MP Gaurav Sharma's future is uncertain.

The Hamilton West MP has been suspended from the caucus after what Jacinda Ardern called repeated breaches of trust.

A review will take place in December about whether he will be allowed to return.

Former Labour and New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says politics is a tough game which not everyone is suited to.

He told Kate Hawkesby Sharma could go down a couple of different paths.

Jones says if he wants to make money he should move on, but if he wants to make drama he should try to set up a by-election.

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Labour MP Gaurav Sharma has been suspended from caucus effective immediately, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.

It is the "most appropriate" response to "repeated breaches of trust" committed by the MP, Ardern said after a special party caucus meeting today.

Sharma, who did not attend the meeting, was phoned, texted and emailed to join today's meeting but did not join, Ardern said.

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis Allan Sharma's being given a second chance of sorts.

“He’s on a good behaviour bond, even though they won’t call it that. So, he’s been suspended and that what means is Labour will continue to get his vote, if they’d expelled him from caucus they wouldn’t get that, not that they’d need it anyway.”

The decision will be reviewed in December.

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Political party presidents tend to stay out of the spotlight - but just how influential is their role?

One MP’s past misbehaviour put pressure on National - then another claimed bullying was rife in Labour during what turned into an expectedly turbulent week in party politics for the media. But even before all that hit the headlines, the media made a big deal out of minor political missteps that few people cared about.