'Claptrap': Greens MP apologises to Buckingham after calling for him to resign

The division in the NSW Greens party room has worsened, with Ballina MP Tamara Smith telling her colleague Jeremy Buckingham that a speech made in Parliament calling for his resignation was "claptrap".

In a text message sent to Mr Buckingham, Ms Smith said she was "sorry that things have gone this way" and that she publicly condemned him because she felt compelled to support other women in the party.

Jeremy Buckingham is facing pressure to resign. Credit: Simone De Peak

Greens' Newtown MP Jenny Leong last week used parliamentary privilege to call on Mr Buckingham to quit Parliament amid allegations of "sexual violence" against a former party employee.

She also said that Mr Buckingham's poor behaviour on other occasions, while not sexual, also meant he should no longer have a place in the party or the upper house.

Former Greens employee Ella Buckland complained to the Greens in April about an alleged incident involving Mr Buckingham that occurred in 2011.

An internal investigation by WorkDynamic was launched after Ms Buckland's complaint, but she said she was excluded from the investigation and her witnesses were not interviewed until she pushed for that to happen.

"All I can say is it took place behind closed doors, it was repeatedly leaked to Greens figures before me, it didn’t think it worthwhile to hear my side of the story, and I’m still fighting just to be able to read it," Ms Buckland said.

Ms Buckland said she was accused by Mr Buckingham and his witness of "being on drugs and having lots of casual sex".

"You might think that an investigation into sexual [harassment], faced with gratuitous smears against the complainant, might take the time to find out whether those smears were true by hearing both sides of the issue," she said.

Mr Buckingham would not comment.

Ballina MP Tamara Smith says she felt compelled to make a statement calling on Jeremy Buckingham to resign by other women in the party. Credit: Lucy Cormack

The report found there was insufficient evidence "that a reasonable person could conclude, on the balance of probabilities, that an incident/incidents of sexual harassment as defined by the legislation has occurred".

Ms Leong's speech has divided the Greens NSW party room, with fellow MPs David Shoebridge and Jamie Parker supporting her, while Justin Field, Dawn Walker and Cate Faehrmann warned it was a "political weapon".

Former Greens employee Ella Buckland. Credit: ABC

Senator Mehreen Faruqi also issued a statement with Ms Leong, saying Mr Buckingham should stand down.

"This is in the best interests of the complainant, members, supporters and volunteers," the statement said.

Ms Smith, tweeted she supported "my women colleagues Jenny Leong and Mehreen Faruqi and their call today and that’s why I’ve urged Jeremy Buckingham to step aside".

But in a text to Mr Buckingham, Ms Smith said she had to support Ms Faruqi and Ms Leong because they are "2 of only 5 women MPs in NSW and 2 of only 3 women MPs who are up for election".

"I made the decision to support them NOT the claptrap in Jenny's speech," Ms Smith's text said.

"Once Jenny blew you up the pressure on me amplifed by 100 – I have not once spoken in public against you ever! I am loyal to you."

In a statement from Ms Smith, she said: "I stand by my support for the joint statement of Mehreen Faruqi and Jenny Leong, which was backed by the federal parlimentary leader and party room."