Politics

Gareth Hughes to stand down at next election

13:57 pm on 17 November 2019

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes will stand down from national politics at the next election.

Gareth Hughes. Photo: RNZ/Alexander Robertson

The 38-year-old entered parliament in 2010 and has been there longer than his current Green Party colleagues.

He said he's been thinking about retiring for some time.

"I've gone through four elections and the question is do I want to contest a fifth election and I feel after ten years in Parliament it feels right.

"My kids have grown up in a Parliamentay life not knowing anything else so I really want to now focus on them."

Mr Hughes is looking at world-schooling his children; travelling and home schooling them.

He said his focus during his career has been cleaner, cheaper, smarter energy and he believes the country is much closer to it than it was three years ago.

Mr Hughes has been the party's chief musterer, the equivalent of a whip in other parties in the current Parliament.