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Green co-leader Marama Davidson is open to assuming a ministerial portfolio if the party returns to power.
His comments came in a media clash after an event at a studio on Karangahape Rd, Auckland, where Green leaders made a final appeal to party worshipers ahead of Saturday’s elections.
A recent poll had Labor at 47 percent and they couldn’t govern without continued support from the Green Party, which dropped one point to six percent.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson says the party has reached the point where both co-leaders could consider ministerial roles.
While retired MP Gareth Hughes told the crowd of supporters they were “in the heart of Chlöe country”, Green Auckland Central Electorate Candidate Chlöe Swarbrick ranked third in a poll earlier this month, with 26 percent, behind Helen White of Labor. (35 percent) and Emma Mellow of National (30 percent).
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Hughes, along with co-leaders Davidson and James Shaw, made a familiar speech for a green-tinged Covid-19 recovery, announcing policies that include converting 30 percent of New Zealand’s ocean space to marine reserves, in addition to plans. to place solar panels in each state and eliminate coal by 2030.
Davidson emphasized the party’s promise to pressure Labor if both parties return to government.
“The more support the Greens get, the bolder Labor will be,” he said.
In a media confrontation after the event, Davidson faced questions about whether he would seek a ministerial portfolio if his party entered a coalition with Labor.
Abigail Dougherty / Stuff
Green Party co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw announced the party’s nature policy for the 2020 elections, focused on increasing marine protection, at the Michael Joseph Savage memorial in Auckland.
Davidson, a popular figure on the party’s left, did not rule it out, saying the party had reached the point where both co-leaders could consider ministerial roles.
Shaw is Minister of Climate Change and Minister of Statistics, but Davidson, who became a co-leader in 2018, midway through the Greens’ first term with ministers in government, does not yet have a portfolio.
“It was okay that I didn’t … have a ministerial portfolio at the time,” he said.
“It was also good for political reasons, in our first term of government we were still working on how to keep our political positions independent, and it worked quite well to have a [co-leader] as a minister and not as a minister.
“I think we have reached the point, regardless of whether it is me, where we can be in ministerial positions without compromising the right to have our independent political positions.
Breakfast
Labor’s finance spokesman has again ruled out a wealth tax.
“But again, let’s hold the elections, then we will know what we have to work with.”
The co-leaders also faced a series of questions related to the wealth tax.
The Greens have said they would hope such a tax would be on the table during post-election negotiations.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has repeatedly ruled out a wealth tax.
National leader Judith Collins said Labor would give in to the Greens on the wealth tax issue, even though Ardern insisted it would not be on the table during negotiations.
Shaw again accused National of “misinformation” and misrepresenting the policy.
He again promised to put the policy up for discussion during any coalition negotiations.
“We are going to bring it up for discussion, along with our plans to shift agriculture to a more sustainable future, along with our plans to clean up our oceans and protect our marine wildlife.
“Let’s have an election and then let’s sit around the negotiating table and see what happens.”
