The infighting consuming the New South Wales Greens over the treatment of women flared again on Thursday, after a state member accused his parliamentary colleague of an “orchestrated political hit” against upper house MP Jeremy Buckingham.

The NSW Greens lower-house MP Jenny Leong this week used parliamentary privilege to make accusations about Buckingham’s treatment of women in the party.

Leong urged Buckingham to resign, referring to a complaint by Greens aide Ella Buckland that Buckingham had touched her inappropriately in 2011.

That complaint was investigated independently. The investigation found the available evidence did not substantiate the claim.

On Thursday, another Greens MP, Justin Field, entered the fray. He accused Leong of using the speech as an “an orchestrated political hit” designed to force Buckingham from parliament.

“Jenny’s statement was first and foremost an opportunistic effort to destroy and a continuation of a relentless effort by some in the Greens to use this complaint to force Jeremy out of the party,” Field said in a statement.

“At the Greens party room just hours before her statement, Jenny threatened to use parliamentary privilege to call for Jeremy’s resignation and to allege other unspecified allegations if he did not resign.

“The statement from Jenny Leong was an orchestrated political hit. It was not designed to improve the party’s processes or ensure a safe space for women or others.”

Field follows fellow NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann in defending Buckingham and criticising Leong.

Leong’s calls for Buckingham to resign were backed by the federal leader, Richard Di Natale, and federal senator Mehreen Faruqi, among others.

Buckland, the Greens aide at the centre of the Buckingham complaint, tweeted in response to Field’s statement. She said Field had initially been supportive of her when she made the complaint.

“On the 21st March 2015 Justin Field visited me at my house to meet my child,” she wrote. “Me and Justin were friends from Parliament, and had remained close since i left. On this occasion I told Justin about the incident with Buckingham. He was very upset for me.”

Justin at my house on the date in question. pic.twitter.com/ypFB7m1UCs — Ella Buckland (@ellaNbuckland) November 15, 2018

In her speech to parliament, Leong aired generalised allegations against Buckingham, saying his actions had driven members and volunteers from the party.

She said: “Jeremy’s actions and behaviour – some widely reported and documented and some still held in confidence, which must be respected – have had a real and lasting consequence on individual women, members and formal members of our party as well as active volunteers in our party ... I know there have been active volunteers who have stepped aside or resigned as members as a result of Jeremy’s behaviour.”

She also accused Buckingham of behaving aggressively towards her twice this year.

“On two occasions earlier this year Jeremy behaved in an aggressive and intimidating manner towards me, once in a public place and once in the corridors of this place,” she said in the speech to the NSW lower house.

Buckingham issued a statement denying Leong’s accusations. He also again pointed to the independent investigation of Buckland’s complaint.

Field previously worked as a staffer in Buckingham’s office before entering parliament.