Future of the NSW Greens 'precarious at best' warn MPs

The future of the NSW Greens is "precarious at best" and their electoral chances could be significantly damaged unless there is urgent reform, two MPs have warned the bitterly divided party.

Upper house Greens MPs Justin Field and Cate Faehrmann have called on the party's formal campaign committee to carry out an "urgent independent review and reform process" to avoid an "irreparable split" in the party.

The Greens hold three lower house seats – Balmain, Newtown and Ballina – and five upper house seats and they are also hoping to win Lismore at the state election in March.

Jeremy Buckingham, centre, has divided the Greens. Credit: Fairfax Media

In a letter to the committee, the two MPs say the recent bitter infighting in the party was the "culmination of systemic failures and shortfalls in the structures and processes of the NSW Greens".

The Greens' party room is in turmoil after Newtown MP Jenny Leong called on her colleague Jeremy Buckingham to quit over allegations of bad behaviour, including "sexual violence".

Ms Leong's statement to Parliament was supported by several of her colleagues but Mr Field and Ms Faehrmann accused Ms Leong of using parliamentary privilege to carry out an "orchestrated political hit".

Former Greens employee Ella Buckland complained to the Greens in April about an alleged sexual harassment 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 insisted.

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".

In their letter to the party, Ms Faehrmann and Mr Field say the Greens' "organisational structure, decision making processes, grievance and complaints processes and party room rules" are failing.

"Bad and disruptive behaviour has gone unchecked, grievances are unable to be effectively dealt with or have been exacerbated by partisan responses, the party room lacks the structures and authority to deal with disruptive behaviour of MPs and to be genuinely accountable to the membership," they wrote.

They say a commitment to reform is urgent and without it the future of the party seems "precarious at best".

"This cannot wait until after the next state and federal elections. If it is not dealt with now there could be further significant damage to electoral chances further undermining the party’s membership and public support."

The MPs identified eight points that they say are critical to the party's survival, including expelling "destructive individuals", the immediate resignation of the party's co-convenors and a leadership structure.

"Without some form of leadership structure MPs are not accountable to each other. Deliberately destructive and combative actions of some MPs go without sanction," the letter says.

Outgoing Greens MP Dawn Walker used her valedictory speech to Parliament on Wednesday night, to defend  Mr Buckingham against calls within the party for him to resign.

As she delivered her final speech, Ms Walker said Mr Buckingham had been "attacked and bullied" by a "small and effective cabal" within the Greens over a number of years.

While she was speaking, protesters in the public gallery interrupted proceedings with chants of "yes means yes, no means no, Buckingham has got to go".