Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand (in Māori
: Rōpū Kākāriki o Aotearoa) is a political party
that has seats in the New Zealand
parliament
. It focuses firstly on environmentalism
, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it. Ecological economics
, progressive
social policies, participatory democracy
, and non-violence make up the balance of its platform.
The party is currently co-led by MP Metiria Turei
and Russel Norman
. The party has both a male and female co-leader. The male co-leader position was vacant following the November 2005 death of Rod Donald
until the 2006 annual general meeting when Norman was elected using the alternative vote
system by party delegates from electorates around the country.
The Green Party contests Auckland City
Council elections under the City Vision
banner, in concert with the NZ Labour Party and The Alliance.
, peak oil
and the release of genetically engineered
organisms. They have also spoken out in support of human rights, and against the military
operations conducted by the United States of America
and other countries in Afghanistan
and Iraq
.
In its economic
policies, the Green Party stresses factors such as sustainability
, tax
ing the indirect costs of pollution, and fair trade
. It also states that measuring economic success should concentrate on measuring well-being rather than analysing economic indicators.
The Green Party traces its origins to the Values Party
, considered the world's first national-level environmentalist party. The Values Party originated in 1972 at Victoria University of Wellington
. While it gained a measure of public support in several elections, the then First-past-the-post electoral system meant that it failed to win any seats in parliament. Some of the foundation members of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, notably Jeanette Fitzsimons
, Rod Donald
and Mike Ward
, had been active members of the Values Party during the spawning of the New Zealand and international Green movement
in 1970s.
In May 1990, remnants of the Values Party merged with a number of other environmentalist organizations to form the modern Green Party. This sparked a resurgence of support, with the new group winning 6.85% of the vote (but no seats) in the 1990 election
.
, a five-party grouping that also consisted of the Democrats, Liberals
, Mana Motuhake
and NewLabour Party
. The Greens contested the 1993
and 1996
elections as part of the Alliance.
Until the 1995 annual conference in Taupo, the Greens had no elected leaders. At that conference, Fitzsimons was elected unopposed as female co-leader, and Donald defeated Joel Cayford and Mike Smith in a three-way contest to become male co-leader.
With the adoption of the MMP electoral system in 1996, the Alliance gained entry to parliament, bringing three Green MPs with them: Fitzsimons, Donald and Phillida Bunkle
.
In 1997, feeling that membership of the Alliance had subsumed their identity, the Greens took the decision to stand candidates independently of the Alliance at the next election. While most of the Green party members left the Alliance, some decided instead to leave the Green Party and stay in the Alliance (notably MP Phillida Bunkle). Conversely, some of the Alliance party members who joined the Alliance via other parties decided to leave the Alliance and join the Green Party, notably Sue Bradford
and Keith Locke
, who both joined the Alliance via NewLabour.
, the Greens gained 5.16% of the vote and seven seats in Parliament. Jeanette Fitzsimons also won the electorate seat of Coromandel, believed to be a world-first in a First-past-the-post election system. However, the final result only became clear after the counting of special votes, so the Greens had a 10-day wait before officials could confirm their election to Parliament. During this time, Labour
concluded a coalition agreement with the Alliance which excluded the Greens. However, the party supported the government on confidence and supply
in return for some input into the budget and legislation. This led to the Greens gaining a $15 million energy efficiency and environmental package in the new government's first budget. Over the term, the Greens developed a good working relationship with the government and also had some input into policy, notably Sue Bradford's amendments to the ERC legislation.
, the Greens polled 7.00%, increasing their strength in parliament to nine seats, although they lost the Coromandel electorate. The electoral campaign featured strong tensions between the Greens and Labour. The Greens sharply criticised Labour for its plans to allow a moratorium on genetic engineering to expire, and believing that Labour would require their support to form a government, intended to make the extension of this moratorium a non-negotiable part of any deal. After the election, however, Labour and their coalition partner, the Jim Anderton-led Progressive Coalition
, opted to rely on support from United Future, a party with conservative Christian overtones, shutting the Greens out of power.
Although the Greens no longer had any input into the budget, they maintained a close working relationship with the government, and the Greens remained involved in the legislation process. Often the government needed to rely on Green votes in the House
to pass legislation not approved by United Future, a conservative family-values
party. The government won praise from political commentators for juggling the two diametrically-opposed parties.
While the moratorium on genetic modification has now expired, the Greens remain heavily involved in attempts to prevent any GM releases under the new regulatory framework, and genetic engineering remains a major topic for the party.
, the Greens won 5.30%, returning six of their MPs to Parliament. Despite expressing clear support for a Labour
-led government during the campaign, they were excluded from the resulting coalition, due to a refusal by United Future and NZ First to work with the Greens in cabinet. They were however able to negotiate a cooperation agreement which saw limited input into the budget and broad consultation on policy. Both co-leaders were appointed as government spokespeople outside cabinet, with Fitzsimons responsible for Energy Efficiency, and Donald responsible for the Buy Kiwi Made
campaign.
After Donald's death the day before Parliament was due to sit, Nandor Tanczos
took up the vacant list position. The position of government spokesperson on Buy Kiwi Made was filled by Sue Bradford. The co-leader position remained vacant until a new co-leader, Russel Norman
was elected at their 2006 annual general meeting
. The other contenders for the position were Nandor Tanczos, David Clendon
and former MP Mike Ward
.
the Greens increased their share of the vote to 6.72%, enough for 9 MPs, even though there was a strong swing throughout the country to the centre-right National Party
. This initially gave the Greens two extra MPs, but counting the special votes brought in a third. They are now the third largest parliamentary party in New Zealand.
, the Green vote has settled at about 10.6 per cent, and co-leaders Metiria Turei and Russel Norman said they expected their share to grow to 11 per cent after special votes were counted. They remain the third largest parliamentary party in New Zealand.
NOTE:
This article documents a current election. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.
(introduced by Green's member Sue Bradford
) to outlaw the legal defence of "reasonable force" when disciplining children, led to widespread debate and accusations that MPs supporting the bill were fostering a 'nanny state
' approach. The Bill became law after it passed its third reading on 16 May 2007 with only seven MPs voting against it. This had little effect on the Green Party who increased their number of seats from six to nine in the 2008 general election.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
: Rōpū Kākāriki o Aotearoa) is a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
that has seats in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
. It focuses firstly on environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it. Ecological economics
Ecological economics
Image:Sustainable development.svg|right|The three pillars of sustainability. Clickable.|275px|thumbpoly 138 194 148 219 164 240 182 257 219 277 263 291 261 311 264 331 272 351 283 366 300 383 316 394 287 408 261 417 224 424 182 426 154 423 119 415 87 403 58 385 40 368 24 347 17 328 13 309 16 286 26...
, progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
social policies, participatory democracy
Participatory democracy
Participatory Democracy, also known as Deliberative Democracy, Direct Democracy and Real Democracy , is a process where political decisions are made directly by regular people...
, and non-violence make up the balance of its platform.
The party is currently co-led by MP Metiria Turei
Metiria Turei
Metiria Leanne Agnes Stanton Turei is a New Zealand member of Parliament and the female co-leader of the Green Party. she is the Green Party spokesperson on Social Equity, Electoral Reform, Māori and Treaty Issues, Housing and Children....
and Russel Norman
Russel Norman
Dr Russel William Norman is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. He is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of the Green Party alongside Metiria Turei.- Early life :...
. The party has both a male and female co-leader. The male co-leader position was vacant following the November 2005 death of Rod Donald
Rod Donald
Rodney David "Rod" Donald , was a New Zealand politician who co-led the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, along with Jeanette Fitzsimons.He lived in Christchurch with his partner Nicola Shirlaw, and their three daughters....
until the 2006 annual general meeting when Norman was elected using the alternative vote
Instant-runoff voting
Instant-runoff voting , also known as preferential voting, the alternative vote and ranked choice voting, is a voting system used to elect one winner. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and their ballots are counted as one vote for their first choice candidate. If a candidate secures a...
system by party delegates from electorates around the country.
The Green Party contests Auckland City
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
Council elections under the City Vision
City Vision (Auckland, New Zealand political ticket)
City Vision is a coalition of three left-wing political parties and independent political identities who contest Auckland Council elections every triennium...
banner, in concert with the NZ Labour Party and The Alliance.
Policies
The Greens generally focus primarily on environmental issues. In recent times, they have expressed particular concerns about mining of national parks, fresh water, climate changeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, peak oil
Peak oil
Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. This concept is based on the observed production rates of individual oil wells, projected reserves and the combined production rate of a field...
and the release of genetically engineered
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
organisms. They have also spoken out in support of human rights, and against the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
operations conducted by the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and other countries in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
In its economic
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
policies, the Green Party stresses factors such as sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
ing the indirect costs of pollution, and fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
. It also states that measuring economic success should concentrate on measuring well-being rather than analysing economic indicators.
Charter
The following forms the English-language section of the charter (the founding document) of The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand:- The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand accepts Te Tiriti o WaitangiTreaty of WaitangiThe Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
as the founding document of AotearoaAotearoaAotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
New Zealand; recognises Māori as Tāngata Whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand; and commits to the following four Principles:
- Ecological Wisdom:
- The basis of ecological wisdom is that human beings are part of the natural world. This world is finite, therefore unlimited material growth is impossible. Ecological sustainability is paramount.
- Social Responsibility:
- Unlimited material growth is impossible. Therefore the key to social responsibility is the just distribution of social and natural resources, both locally and globally.
- Appropriate Decision-making:
- For the implementation of ecological wisdom and social responsibility, decisions will be made directly at the appropriate level by those affected.
- Non-Violence:
- Non-violent conflict resolution is the process by which ecological wisdom, social responsibility and appropriate decision making will be implemented. This principle applies at all levels.
Foundations
Values Party
The Values Party, considered the world's first national-level environmentalist party that pre-dated any fashionable Green terminology, was established in 1972 at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, one of its initial leaders being Tony Brunt...
, considered the world's first national-level environmentalist party. The Values Party originated in 1972 at Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. While it gained a measure of public support in several elections, the then First-past-the-post electoral system meant that it failed to win any seats in parliament. Some of the foundation members of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, notably Jeanette Fitzsimons
Jeanette Fitzsimons
Jeanette Mary Fitzsimons, CNZM is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. She was the co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 1995 to 2009, and was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2010.-Career:...
, Rod Donald
Rod Donald
Rodney David "Rod" Donald , was a New Zealand politician who co-led the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, along with Jeanette Fitzsimons.He lived in Christchurch with his partner Nicola Shirlaw, and their three daughters....
and Mike Ward
Mike Ward (New Zealand)
Mike Ward JP is a Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand politician. He was an MP for one term from 2002-2005. He was co-leader of the Values Party from 1985 to 1988...
, had been active members of the Values Party during the spawning of the New Zealand and international Green movement
Green Movement
The Green Movement refers to a series of actions after the 2009 Iranian presidential election, in which protesters demanded the removal of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from office...
in 1970s.
In May 1990, remnants of the Values Party merged with a number of other environmentalist organizations to form the modern Green Party. This sparked a resurgence of support, with the new group winning 6.85% of the vote (but no seats) in the 1990 election
New Zealand general election, 1990
The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office...
.
The Alliance years
The following year, the Greens became co-founder members of the AllianceAlliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
, a five-party grouping that also consisted of the Democrats, Liberals
New Zealand Liberal Party (1992)
The New Zealand Liberal Party founded in 1992 was a splinter group of the National Party....
, Mana Motuhake
Mana Motuhake
Mana Māori Motuhake was a Māori political party in New Zealand. The name is difficult to translate accurately, but essentially refers to Māori self-rule and self-determination — mana, in this context, can be understood as "authority" or "power", while motuhake can be understood as...
and NewLabour Party
NewLabour Party (New Zealand)
NewLabour was a left-of-centre party founded in 1989 by Jim Anderton, an MP and former President of the New Zealand Labour Party.NewLabour was established by a number of Labour Party members who left the party in reaction to "Rogernomics", the economic policies implemented by the Labour Party's...
. The Greens contested the 1993
New Zealand general election, 1993
The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...
and 1996
New Zealand general election, 1996
The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse...
elections as part of the Alliance.
Until the 1995 annual conference in Taupo, the Greens had no elected leaders. At that conference, Fitzsimons was elected unopposed as female co-leader, and Donald defeated Joel Cayford and Mike Smith in a three-way contest to become male co-leader.
With the adoption of the MMP electoral system in 1996, the Alliance gained entry to parliament, bringing three Green MPs with them: Fitzsimons, Donald and Phillida Bunkle
Phillida Bunkle
Phillida Bunkle is a former New Zealand politician. She was born in Sussex, England.She was educated at Keele University, England, receiving a BA with First Class Honours; Smith College, Massachusetts, USA, receiving a MA; and St Anne's College, Oxford...
.
In 1997, feeling that membership of the Alliance had subsumed their identity, the Greens took the decision to stand candidates independently of the Alliance at the next election. While most of the Green party members left the Alliance, some decided instead to leave the Green Party and stay in the Alliance (notably MP Phillida Bunkle). Conversely, some of the Alliance party members who joined the Alliance via other parties decided to leave the Alliance and join the Green Party, notably Sue Bradford
Sue Bradford
Sue Bradford is a New Zealand politician who served as a list Member of Parliament representing the Green Party from 1999 to 2009.- Early life :...
and Keith Locke
Keith Locke
Keith James Locke is a current New Zealand MP representing the Green Party who was first elected to parliament in 1999. he is the Green Party spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Defence, Ethnic Affairs, Pacific Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration, Police and Auckland Transport...
, who both joined the Alliance via NewLabour.
Green Party in Parliament
1999 election
In the 1999 electionNew Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
, the Greens gained 5.16% of the vote and seven seats in Parliament. Jeanette Fitzsimons also won the electorate seat of Coromandel, believed to be a world-first in a First-past-the-post election system. However, the final result only became clear after the counting of special votes, so the Greens had a 10-day wait before officials could confirm their election to Parliament. During this time, Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
concluded a coalition agreement with the Alliance which excluded the Greens. However, the party supported the government on confidence and supply
Confidence and supply
In a parliamentary democracy confidence and supply are required for a government to hold power. A confidence and supply agreement is an agreement that a minor party or independent member of parliament will support the government in motions of confidence and appropriation votes by voting in favour...
in return for some input into the budget and legislation. This led to the Greens gaining a $15 million energy efficiency and environmental package in the new government's first budget. Over the term, the Greens developed a good working relationship with the government and also had some input into policy, notably Sue Bradford's amendments to the ERC legislation.
2002 election
In the 2002 electionNew Zealand general election, 2002
The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial...
, the Greens polled 7.00%, increasing their strength in parliament to nine seats, although they lost the Coromandel electorate. The electoral campaign featured strong tensions between the Greens and Labour. The Greens sharply criticised Labour for its plans to allow a moratorium on genetic engineering to expire, and believing that Labour would require their support to form a government, intended to make the extension of this moratorium a non-negotiable part of any deal. After the election, however, Labour and their coalition partner, the Jim Anderton-led Progressive Coalition
New Zealand Progressive Party
Jim Anderton's Progressive Party , is a New Zealand political party generally somewhat to the left of its ally, the Labour Party....
, opted to rely on support from United Future, a party with conservative Christian overtones, shutting the Greens out of power.
Although the Greens no longer had any input into the budget, they maintained a close working relationship with the government, and the Greens remained involved in the legislation process. Often the government needed to rely on Green votes in the House
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
to pass legislation not approved by United Future, a conservative family-values
Family values
Family values are political and social beliefs that hold the nuclear family to be the essential ethical and moral unit of society. Familialism is the ideology that promotes the family and its values as an institution....
party. The government won praise from political commentators for juggling the two diametrically-opposed parties.
While the moratorium on genetic modification has now expired, the Greens remain heavily involved in attempts to prevent any GM releases under the new regulatory framework, and genetic engineering remains a major topic for the party.
2005 election
In the 2005 electionNew Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
, the Greens won 5.30%, returning six of their MPs to Parliament. Despite expressing clear support for a Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
-led government during the campaign, they were excluded from the resulting coalition, due to a refusal by United Future and NZ First to work with the Greens in cabinet. They were however able to negotiate a cooperation agreement which saw limited input into the budget and broad consultation on policy. Both co-leaders were appointed as government spokespeople outside cabinet, with Fitzsimons responsible for Energy Efficiency, and Donald responsible for the Buy Kiwi Made
Buy Kiwi Made
Buy Kiwi Made was a Government campaign aimed at promoting consumer and retailer awareness of Kiwi made products and encouraging domestic manufacturers to label their goods New Zealand made. It used the slogan "Buy Kiwi and We've Got it Made". It was complementary to the Buy New Zealand Made...
campaign.
Nandor Tanczos
Nándor Steven Tánczos , a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1999 to 2008, represented the Green Party as a list MP. He briefly lost his seat in the 2005 General Election, but returned to Parliament following the sudden death of Rod Donald just prior to the first sitting of Parliament, as he...
took up the vacant list position. The position of government spokesperson on Buy Kiwi Made was filled by Sue Bradford. The co-leader position remained vacant until a new co-leader, Russel Norman
Russel Norman
Dr Russel William Norman is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. He is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of the Green Party alongside Metiria Turei.- Early life :...
was elected at their 2006 annual general meeting
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
. The other contenders for the position were Nandor Tanczos, David Clendon
David Clendon
David James Clendon is a New Zealand politician and member of the Green Party. Following the resignation of Sue Bradford, Clendon became a Member of the New Zealand Parliament on 2 November 2009.-Personal life:...
and former MP Mike Ward
Mike Ward (New Zealand)
Mike Ward JP is a Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand politician. He was an MP for one term from 2002-2005. He was co-leader of the Values Party from 1985 to 1988...
.
2008 election
In the 2008 electionNew Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
the Greens increased their share of the vote to 6.72%, enough for 9 MPs, even though there was a strong swing throughout the country to the centre-right National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
. This initially gave the Greens two extra MPs, but counting the special votes brought in a third. They are now the third largest parliamentary party in New Zealand.
2011 election
In the 2011 electionNew Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
, the Green vote has settled at about 10.6 per cent, and co-leaders Metiria Turei and Russel Norman said they expected their share to grow to 11 per cent after special votes were counted. They remain the third largest parliamentary party in New Zealand.
Electoral results (1990–2011)
NOTE: Results not finalised until December 2011 for the General ElectionNew Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
| Election | # of candidates nominated (electorate/list) | # of seats won | # of party votes | % of popular vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 New Zealand general election, 1990 The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office... |
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| 1993 New Zealand general election, 1993 The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New... - 1996 New Zealand general election, 1996 The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse... |
Alliance (New Zealand political party) The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the... |
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| 1999 New Zealand general election, 1999 The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance... |
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| 2002 New Zealand general election, 2002 The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial... |
|
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| 2005 New Zealand general election, 2005 The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the... |
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|
|
|
| 2008 New Zealand general election, 2008 The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social... |
|
|
|
|
| 2011 New Zealand general election, 2011 The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party... |
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NOTE:
This article documents a current election. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.
Public perception
The Child Discipline ActChild Discipline Act
The Crimes Amendment Act 2007 is an amendment to the New Zealand's Crimes Act 1961 which removed the legal defence of "reasonable force" for parents prosecuted for assault on their children...
(introduced by Green's member Sue Bradford
Sue Bradford
Sue Bradford is a New Zealand politician who served as a list Member of Parliament representing the Green Party from 1999 to 2009.- Early life :...
) to outlaw the legal defence of "reasonable force" when disciplining children, led to widespread debate and accusations that MPs supporting the bill were fostering a 'nanny state
Nanny state
A nanny state is the perception of a situation characterised by governmental policies of over-protectionism, economic interventionism, or heavy regulation of economic, social or other nature....
' approach. The Bill became law after it passed its third reading on 16 May 2007 with only seven MPs voting against it. This had little effect on the Green Party who increased their number of seats from six to nine in the 2008 general election.
Female co-leaders
- Jeanette FitzsimonsJeanette FitzsimonsJeanette Mary Fitzsimons, CNZM is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. She was the co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 1995 to 2009, and was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2010.-Career:...
(1995–2009) - Metiria TureiMetiria TureiMetiria Leanne Agnes Stanton Turei is a New Zealand member of Parliament and the female co-leader of the Green Party. she is the Green Party spokesperson on Social Equity, Electoral Reform, Māori and Treaty Issues, Housing and Children....
(30 May 2009 to present)
Male co-convenors
Equivalent to the organisational president of other parties. The Green Party constitution bars co-convenors from standing for parliament. There is always one male co-convenor and one female co-convenor.- Ian Stephens (1996–1997)
- Joel Cayford (1997–1998)
- Richard Davies (2000–2001)
- David ClendonDavid ClendonDavid James Clendon is a New Zealand politician and member of the Green Party. Following the resignation of Sue Bradford, Clendon became a Member of the New Zealand Parliament on 2 November 2009.-Personal life:...
(2001–2004) - Paul de Spa (2004–2006)
- Roland SapsfordRoland SapsfordRoland Sapsford is the current male co-convenor of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. The female co-convenor is Georgina Morrison...
(2006 to date)
Female co-convenors
- Danna Glendining (1996–1997)
- Leah McBey (1997–1998)
- Christine Dann (1998–2000)
- Catherine DelahuntyCatherine DelahuntyCatherine Delahunty is a current New Zealand MP representing the Green Party who was first elected to parliament in 2008. she is the Green Party spokesperson on Education, Forestry, Treaty of Waitangi, Civil Defence, Disability Issues, Women's Affairs, Arts & Culture; and associate spokesperson on...
(2002–2004) - Karen Davis (2004–2007)
- Moea Armstrong (2007–2010)
- Georgina MorrisonGeorgina MorrisonGeorgina Morrison is the current co-convenor of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. She was voted into the role over Wendy Harper by the party on 6 June 2010....
(2010 – present)
Male Policy Co-Convenors
The Policy Co-Convenors are the leaders of the Policy Committee, which is autonomous from both the caucus and the party executive. While lower in profile than the party Co-Convenors, the policy co-convenors are considered to have the same status as the party co-convenors, and are elected in the same way. There is always one male policy co-convenor and one female policy co-convenor.- Matthew Grant (2001-2004)
- Bill Brislen (2004-2005)
- Ivan Sowry (2005-2009)
- Richard Leckinger (2009 – present)
Female Policy Co-Convenors
- Karen Davis (2001-2004)
- Nancy Higgins (2004-2007)
- Caroline Glass (2007 – present)
Past Members of Parliament
- Jeanette FitzsimonsJeanette FitzsimonsJeanette Mary Fitzsimons, CNZM is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. She was the co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 1995 to 2009, and was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2010.-Career:...
(1996–2010) - Rod DonaldRod DonaldRodney David "Rod" Donald , was a New Zealand politician who co-led the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, along with Jeanette Fitzsimons.He lived in Christchurch with his partner Nicola Shirlaw, and their three daughters....
(1996–2005) - Phillida BunklePhillida BunklePhillida Bunkle is a former New Zealand politician. She was born in Sussex, England.She was educated at Keele University, England, receiving a BA with First Class Honours; Smith College, Massachusetts, USA, receiving a MA; and St Anne's College, Oxford...
(1996–1997, stayed with the Alliance when the Greens left) - Nandor TanczosNandor TanczosNándor Steven Tánczos , a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1999 to 2008, represented the Green Party as a list MP. He briefly lost his seat in the 2005 General Election, but returned to Parliament following the sudden death of Rod Donald just prior to the first sitting of Parliament, as he...
(1999–2008) - Ian Ewen-StreetIan Ewen-StreetIan Ewen-Street is a New Zealand politician. He was a member of the Green Party and a Member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Greens from 1999 to 2005...
(1999–2005) - Mike WardMike Ward (New Zealand)Mike Ward JP is a Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand politician. He was an MP for one term from 2002-2005. He was co-leader of the Values Party from 1985 to 1988...
(2002–2005) - Sue BradfordSue BradfordSue Bradford is a New Zealand politician who served as a list Member of Parliament representing the Green Party from 1999 to 2009.- Early life :...
(1999–2009) - Sue KedgleySue KedgleySusan Jane Kedgley , BA , TTC , MA , is a New Zealand politician, food campaigner and author.-Early career and Wellington City Council:...
(from 1999) - Keith LockeKeith LockeKeith James Locke is a current New Zealand MP representing the Green Party who was first elected to parliament in 1999. he is the Green Party spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Defence, Ethnic Affairs, Pacific Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration, Police and Auckland Transport...
(from 1999)
See also
- Greens Party's Caucus and Greens MPs' responsibilities
- Politics of New ZealandPolitics of New ZealandThe politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made...