The Green Party will have a new Female Co-leader by April 9, following the announcement today of an early special election for the position and a truncated campaign period of two months.
The Female Co-leader position has been vacant since Metiria Turei’s resignation in August last year. Green Party Co-leaders are normally elected annually at the party’s AGM but the party executive has decided to bring the election forward in order to fill the vacancy sooner.
“We are keen to get a new Co-leader in place as soon as possible. The party has decided to bring the election of the Female Co-leader forward, with nominations opening next Friday, closing the week after, and then moving into a shorter two month campaigning period,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.
“The last Co-leader election was drawn out over a five month period and in hindsight was too long. Two months is plenty of time for the candidates to get out among the party members and for members to have their say.
“Like we did when deciding on joining the new Government, we will be using video technology extensively in the campaign, with video calls for members and delegates planned. We are excited about using technology in the campaign and giving all members a chance to connect with the candidates.
“I would advise Green Party member to make sure that their membership is up to date so that they can vote in their branch deliberations and they get to know the candidates and participate in this process.
“A lot’s happened in the period that I have been sole Co-leader, not least that we are now part of Government. It will be great to get a new Co-leader on board as we traverse our first term in power and start to implement good green change and grow our party,” Mr Shaw said.
The Co-leadership will be chosen by Green Party delegates, representing the party’s branches. Branches will have a number of delegates proportionate to their local membership size. The vote will use the single transferable vote system.
Election timeline:
Fri Feb 2 – Nominations open – all female current Green Party members are eligible to run
Fri Feb 9 – Nominations close
Mon Feb 12 – Full list of nominations announced, however candidates can individually announce their candidacy any time after nominations have opened and they’ve filed their paperwork
Sat Mar 3 – Co-leader candidate session at Green Party policy conference in Napier (open to media, details to be advised closer to the time)
Sun Mar 25 – All delegates Zoom (video) call with Co-leader candidates. This will be a virtual version of what normally happens at AGM with co-leader candidates giving speeches and answering questions from delegates
Mon Mar 26 – End of official campaigning
Mon Mar 26 to Sat Apr 7 – branch consultation and delegates cast their ballots
Sat Apr 7 – Balloting closes
Sun Apr 8 – Ballot counting and winner announced
So, it looks like my guess was correct that Marama Davidson’s planned announcement for 4 Feb is her opening her leadership bid. Somewhere in South Auckland, as I recall.
ah, that makes sense.
would be quite good to have a co leader that understands and is motivated by environmental issues this time
You mean, unlike James Shaw?
no i was referring to met.
So another person who doesn’t understand the 3 planks of Green Party policies and values.
Rather I understand and reject the “3 planks” revisionary doctrine.
We need a GREEN party in NZ. By occupying but not respecting that space the green party holds back Environmental Wisdom which is in fact their stated core aim.
The Greens need a LEADER who understands their purpose and can represent Environmental Wisdom.
You make the mistake of thinking “green” = environment. Why is that?
Do you understand the difference between “environmental wisdom” and “ecological wisdom”.
If you want an environmental party, sans green politics, then there’s always TOP, or even Labour with their MOR focus on environmental issues..
More than anything, NZ needs a party strongly committed to the 3 planks of green politics, including social justice, and the way the 3 planks are strongly interwoven.
It looks like the NZGP is not what you are looking for.
Simply stating we require a Green Party overlooks tackling green issues can be approached from a left or right perspective.
For example, the right are more likely to favour carbon trading as opposed to a carbon tax.
The Greens are a party that take a more left approach to environmental issues.
“would be quite good to have a co leader that understands and is motivated by environmental issues this time”
Why ?
Being part of the Government will undoubtedly influence this Female Co-Leader election and it will be most interesting to see how the Green Party membership deals with this inescapable fact & situation. Reading between the lines, ‘greening’ of the party (and Government?) seems to offer a pole position in this race. In other words, there seems to be less ‘enthusiasm’ to fill the ‘vacancy’ left by Metiria Turei on social issues, for example. As Ad argued in his post today, the Left’s core project is one of preservation, which, if one agrees with this view, leaves only one progressive political party in NZ on which we can pin our fragile & fleeting hopes for a future that is not more of the same.
BTW, I am an outsider and not a member of the GP.
Shaw reiterated only yesterday that the social issues are still a high priority. Marama Davidson will be a front runner, and she covers green issues, social issues and Māori issues. I really hope the party chooses her.
+100
Yep. What weka said.
Good to know, thanks.
Sounds like James Shaw is expecting fireworks…hoping the ladies play nice with each other.
“Shaw said there was a risk of ructions in the party but a clean campaign would help prevent that.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11982510
He’s not EXPECTING ructions – just says it’s a risk. It is an important election, and candidates and their supporters give it their all.
Carolyn_Nth
When a leader says it is a risk, they actually mean they expect it or think it is likely. But I guess he is hoping to forestall it.