Greens call to rally, get organised for 2026 election
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has urged the membership to rally and get organised for next year's election.
MPs and party faithful gathered for their annual meeting at creative campus Te Auaha in central Wellington this weekend.
Swarbrick received a standing ovation, after her speech that asked members to "take a deep breath" and action their opposition to the coalition's policy agenda.
"I don't really want to just talk about the bad guys and the bad things today, because I know we're angry," she said. "We've got a lot to be angry about, but that anger, while righteous, won't get us anywhere, if we do not channel it into organised action."
Swarbrick and co-leader Marama Davidson have visited communities throughout the country this year, as part of a nationwide roadshow.
She told membership the Greens' ideas were "immensely popular" and the party's work in the coming year was to "grow" the party's movement.
"New Zealanders are hungry for solutions, because - clearly - the current system, it ain't working for them.
"That means that there is a country full of people ready to join our movement. We've seen in Auckland Central, in Rongotai and here in Wellington Central that, when we get curious about our neighbours and find our shared values, when we show up for our communities and build our movement beyond traditional circles, we win, the people win."
The Green Party has had a relatively steady year, after a tumultuous start to the term that saw several controversial resignations, the sudden death of MP Efeso Collins and Davidson taking time out to fight cancer.
Since then, both co-leaders have talked about leading the opposition and setting the agenda, as the party released a swathe of policy, including its own 'Green Budget'.
This rhetoric hasn't translated into a boost in support in the polls, with the Greens consistently polling about 10 percent of the general vote.
Swarbrick told membership many New Zealanders were "exhausted" and "fed up with politics", but they should still fight to create "the most progressive government Aotearoa has ever seen".
"We need to connect the dots on these acts of humanity, building something so big it overtakes and replaces the system of extraction and exhaustion and exploitation.
"Now, those making bank from the climate crisis and profiting from deep inequality will invest everything that they have got into telling you that it's impossible, because they need you to believe that they need you fighting your fellow New Zealander," Swarbrick said.
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