The Green Party launched its official campaign for the 2020 Election today, including policy document it'll use as a blueprint for coalition negotiations with Labour if the pair are successful post-September.
A new campaign slogan was also debuted – ‘Whakaarohia Te Anamata, Think Ahead’.
Thinking ahead to the next coalition government though, the Greens admit they would rather it didn’t include NZ First.
“We know that we have to go further and faster than we have been able to do so in the last three years,” co-leader James Shaw said.
The remark was a direct swipe at NZ First leader Winston Peters who had previously claimed his party was a “handbreak” for unsound ideas around the Cabinet table.
The tension between the two parties was clear earlier this week, with both Mr Shaw and Mr Peters publicly criticising the others’ party.
“I’ve never had three years so difficult, trying to manage circumstances when you’re surrounded by plain inexperience,” Winston Peters said.
The Green Co-leader hit back.
“Rather than a force of moderation, they’re a force of chaos,” Mr Shaw said.
The Green Party said the release of a full policy document today is something it hadn’t done in a long time but wanted voters to have a clear picture of the issues it would promote in any future government.
“The Greens are a party that gets stuff done and we need more support to go further and faster,” Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said.
The policy document includes issues the coalition partners have already disagreed on this year such as cameras on commercial fishing boats and a tax on gas guzzling cars.
However, it also talks of establishing a Minister for Animal Welfare and - having already banned plastic bags – looking at a ban on plastic bottles next.
While the Green Party has been registering between 5-6% in the 1NEWS Colmar Brunton polls over the last year it won’t be taking anything for granted.
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