Rogue Labour MP Gaurav Sharma fronts as caucus considers 'motion to expel'

Rogue MP Dr Gaurav Sharma says he's aware of six other MPs who have been bullied by the same person within Labour's ranks.

Labour's former chief whip and MP for Wairarapa Kieran McAnulty has "absolutely" rejected bullying claims made against him, which he said was "backed up by the Prime Minister and caucus".

Current senior whip Duncan Webb said Sharma's claims were unfounded and he rejected all allegations.

"The Whip's office has been supportive of all MPs improving their staff management skills and is committed to ensuring a safe workplace for Parliamentary employees."

Now facing expulsion from the caucus, Sharma fronted up this morning after accusing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her office of a "cover-up".

He wants a public inquiry into his allegations of a rampant culture of bullying in the party, which the party denies.

Sharma told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that senior members of the party have not spoken to him since he aired his latest allegations yesterday.

He said if he worked anywhere else and a similar complaint had been laid, an investigation would have been completed a long time ago.

"How outrageous is it that the Prime Minister of the country at that time didn't investigate it. She wasn't concerned about the wellbeing of her MPs then, and she's definitely not worried about the wellbeing of MPs now."

Sharma questions PM's credibility

Speaking to RNZ this morning, Sharma said Ardern "had already made up her mind, as did the rest of the leadership, and the caucus".

"It's like organising a jury to sit down together with the whole court apart from the accused, and for them to meet up a day before and agree on what's going to happen. And then next day, presented as it is going to be a fair trial," Sharma said.

Ardern has stressed the decision to suspend Sharma from the Labour caucus was not predetermined.

"Natural justice is very important to our team," she said on Tuesday.

The meeting was convened as MPs felt they were unable to freely discuss the situation with Sharma present, Ardern said.

Sharma said Ardern's comments were not credible.

"There is no credibility, like, this isn't my credibility ... this is about the credibility of a nation's prime minister, who every step of the way has been lying. Even this week, lying and saying there is no predetermination while she called the meeting, in which everybody was invited, except me," he said.

Yesterday it was revealed Sharma recorded a private phone conversation with another MP, who did not know they were being recorded.

Sharma leaked that tape to the media, attempting to prove his point. The Prime Minister's Office said the recording misrepresented a conversation with a colleague.

"What is the Prime Minister trying to hide," he asked Newshub during an interview yesterday when he alleged he was suspended from her party in a "kangaroo court" process.

He was suspended from Labour's caucus on Tuesday after breaking caucus confidence in a series of Facebook posts.

The Hamilton West MP told Hosking he felt the decision was already predetermined which is why he wasn't interested in mediation.

Sharma said the system was rotten, had been anything but transparent, and all he was asking for was a fair chance.

He has previously provided evidence from other MPs that they were being bullied, he said.

Sharma believed six MPs have been bullied by McAnulty, but they needed to "come up and say for themselves."

McAnulty told RNZ's Corin Dann this morning that the "mood of the room was very clear" when Labour's caucus met on Monday to discuss the Sharma situation, but there was no predetermined decision to suspend the MP ahead of the formal Tuesday meeting.

"I was at that meeting and it absolutely was not predetermined. As the Prime Minister has said, it was an opportunity for people to share their views frankly and freely without threat of it being leaked. But the mood of the room was very clear - but it certainly wasn't predetermined."

He wouldn't speculate on whether Sharma would be expelled from caucus.

Sharma told Hosking he hasn't thought that far ahead as to whether he would remain on as an independent MP if he was to be expelled.

McAnulty was accused by Sharma of being a bully, which he "absolutely" rejected - "that's backed up by the Prime Minister and caucus".

Further allegations made by Sharma were a matter for Ardern.

"In the whips' office we kept meticulous records and provided all of those, the Prime Minister's seen those; whether that warrants an investigation or not is a matter for her and not something that I'm willing to wade into."

Last night a spokesperson for the Labour leader said the caucus would meet on Tuesday to consider a motion to expel Sharma.

"Gaurav has repeatedly breached his colleagues' trust, and caucus was clear that should there be further breaches such as this then further steps would be taken."