Darleen Tana | |
|---|---|
 Tana in 2023 | |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Green party list | |
| Assumed office 14 October 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Northland, New Zealand |
| Political party | Green |
Darleen Sheree Tana Hoff-Neilsen is a New Zealand environmental scientist, businesswoman, and politician, representing the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand as a Member of Parliament since the 2023 New Zealand general election. [1]
Tana was born in Northland. [2] [3] She is of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Ngā Rauru and Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa descent. [4] She grew up with Māori language around her in a marae setting. [5] [6] Some of her experiences growing up in Northland include gathering shellfish at the beach and Waitangi Day celebrations. [5]
Tana went to Bay of Islands College in Kawakawa and then to Whangārei Girls' High School (in Whangārei). [7] She became an environmental scientist, with a Bachelor of Chemical Technology from Massey University. [4] One of her early environmental science jobs was at Horizons Regional Council. [5]
Tana received a Rotary Foundation scholarship to study abroad, where she earned an MBA from Solvay International Business School. [4] She held senior roles as a Expert Program Manager and Head of Talent Management in corporate telecommunications in Brussels before returning to New Zealand in 2013. [3] [4] [5] Tana speaks Māori, English, Danish, Flemish and French. [5]
Tana and her husband Christian Hoff-Nielsen founded e-mobility firm Bikes and Beyond. [3] [4] The business started in 2013 initially on Waiheke Island and has expanded to other locations. [5] On Waiheke Tana has also been involved in the Kelp Gardeners Project as part of the Waiheke Marine Project. The Kelp Gardeners Project takes an indigenous-informed approach to marine care. [8]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 –present | 54th | List | 13 | Green | |
In the 2020 general election she stood in the Northland electorate, where she came fourth with 1,749 votes. [2] [9]
Tana contested Tāmaki Makaurau in the 2023 election. She was thirteenth on the national list. [2] Her campaign was supported by Marama Davidson, the co-leader of the Green Party who had previously contested the electorate. [10] While third place in her electorate, Tana was elected as a list member for the Greens based on the party vote. [11] [12]
Tana said she seeks to ensure that the government "gets real on climate action, regenerates our taiao (environment), and removes the shackles of a system that is designed to keep us poor, without means, or on a fast track to jail". [10] She has spoken in support of the party's Hoki Whenua Mai policy, which seeks to return historic land to Maori. [13]
In late November 2023, Tana assumed the Green Party's oceans and fisheries, science, innovation and technology, small business and manufacturing, media and communications, digitising government, internal affairs, overseas New Zealanders spokesperson portfolios. [14]
During the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, Tana attended a Palestinian solidarity rally in November 2023 where she joined fellow Green MPs Chlöe Swarbrick, Ricardo Menéndez March and Steve Abel in chanting "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The phrase has been controversial due to its alleged association with anti-Semitism and support for Hamas. [15]
On 15 March 2024 Tana was stood down from her small business portfolio after allegations of migrant exploitation relating to two workers including an Argentine man who complained about unpaid wages while working at Bikes and Beyond. The case is currently before the Employment Relations Authority. [16] [17] In response, former Alliance Party MP Matt Robson and political commentator Trish Sherson said that the Green Party's perceived slow response to Tana's migrant exploitation allegations could affect the Green Party's public image and credibility. [18] [19]
In mid-May 2024, Newshub reported that a second complaint had delayed the Green Party's independent investigation into Tana's conduct, which is led by barrister Rachel Burt. Earlier, the Greens had approved the independent investigation after the party became aware of allegations that Tana may have had some prior knowledge of the allegations against her. [20] On 20 May, RNZ reported that the Green Party's investigation into Tana had cost NZ$43,000. The funding came from the Green Party's leaders budget, which is sourced from the Parliamentary Service. [21]
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