Green Party co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson. File photo Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The Green Party has released its initial list of candidates for members to vote on ahead of the October election.
This initial list is essentially a draft put together by the party's delegates, stating the party's rankings for MPs to enter Parliament based on the party vote.
The initial list then goes to all members to vote on before the final list is published - expected at the end of May.
A notable addition: former Auckland Councillor and mayoral candidate Efeso Collins is on the list at number 12 - below all the current caucus members. He has been floated as a possibility to run in Panmure-Ōtāhuhu.
The former Labour councillor, who was also endorsed by Labour at last year's local election, said he changed to the Greens because of their ambitions for people and planet.
He said he felt warmly welcomed by his list placing.
"Yeah, this is a draft list, but the trust and confidence that's been expressed to me by members of the Green Party is really uplifting, given I am relatively new to the whānau , but not new to the cases that we've been activists for many years."
Collins has previously attracted scrutiny for his past views on homosexuality, including during his mayoral run. But he said his placing on the draft list showed Green members had accepted he had evolved as a person.
"I'm really warmed by the special, I guess warmth, and the embrace of the rainbow community, both within the Greens and the wider rainbow community in Auckland and nationally. I'm really grateful for people's acceptance and their tolerance, and I've given them every commitment that I'm going to be standing alongside people when it comes to things to fight for."
Collins is currently seeking the Green nomination for the Panmure-Ōtāhuhu seat, currently held by Labour's Jenny Salesa.
He expected that process to be finalised "in the next week or so". If he gets the nomination, he intends to run a two-tick campaign.
In 2020, Salesa won 73.5 percent of the candidate vote and Labour won 72.52 percent of the party vote. In contrast Green candidate Mark Simiona won 4.4 percent of the candidate vote, and the Greens won 4.06 percent of the party vote.
Collins said he was under no illusions it would be an uphill battle.
"But I want the people of South Auckland, particularly Panmure-Ōtāhuhu to know that they've got a genuine advocate. I've lived in the community all my life, I've served this community."
Dr Elizabeth Kerekere has shot up the rankings from ninth in the 2020 election to fourth, while Golriz Ghahraman has dropped from seventh to ninth.
Teanau Tuiono and Ricardo Menéndez March have both risen from eighth and 10th respectively to sixth and seventh, but this is largely a result of the upcoming retirements of sitting MPs Jan Logie and Eugenie Sage.
Ngātiwai Trust Board chief executive Hūhana Lyndon has been selected at number eight.
Shaw has also backed current Wellington City councillor Tamatha Paul to stand as an electorate-only candidate for Wellington Central.
The initial list:
- 1. Marama Davidson
- 2. James Shaw
- 3. Chlöe Swarbrick
- 4. Elizabeth Kerekere
- 5. Julie Anne Genter
- 6. Teanau Tuiono
- 7. Ricardo Menéndez March
- 8. Hūhana Lyndon
- 9. Golriz Ghahraman
- 10. Lan Pham
- 11. Steve Abel
- 12. Fa'anānā Efeso Collins
- 13. Darleen Tana
- 14. Kahurangi Carter
- 15. Lawrence Xu-Nan
- 16. Benjamin Doyle
- 17. Francisco Hernandez
- 18. Scott Willis
- 19. Stephanie Rodgers
- 20. Suveen Sanis Walgampola
- 21. Gina Dao-McLay
- 22. Celia Wade-Brown
- 23. Reina Tuai Penney
- 24. Mike Davidson
- 25. Dave Kennedy
- 26. Nick Ratcliffe
- 27. Rochelle Francis
- 28. Sapna Samant
- 29. Dr Alec McNeil
- 30. Richard Wesley
- 31. Neelu Jennings
- 32. Kair Lippiatt
In a statement, co-leader James Shaw said he was confident that "with such a diverse, experienced group of Green Party candidates Aotearoa will elect the most progressive, climate-focused government we have ever had".
"I am proud of everything our MPs have achieved, but we all know the pace of change has been too slow," he said. "With more Green MPs, we can set the direction of the next government and take faster climate action, protect nature, and rebalance wealth."
Co-leader Marama Davidson said she was proud of the selection of candidates.
"The Green Party is a Te Tiriti-based political party and I'm proud to see this reflected so clearly in our initial list. Such a strong Māori voice will help us to make sure that the next government does more to uphold the Crown's promise to guarantee tino rangatiratanga of tangata whenua over their whenua, kainga and taonga katoa."
She said 2023 would be the best chance the party ever had to elect a government that would take the necessary action to build a climate-friendly Aotearoa that works for everyone, "and our initial list shows how strong the Green Party will be".