A centrist green party could be 'valuable addition': Bridges

Newly elected National Party leader Simon Bridges
Simon Bridges said a new centrist green party would be a potentially valuable addition but it would need to be organic and to drive itself. Photo: Getty Images

National Party leader Simon Bridges has endorsed the idea of a new centrist environmental party, saying it would be a "very valuable" addition to the political landscape.

Vernon Tava, a former Green Party candidate and leadership contender and someone who has also tried for nomination as a National Party candidate, believes the time is now right for a new centrist party.

He said he had been contacted by a number of people in favour of a new party but stressed it was early days.

The idea is being touted by some as a potential solution to the National Party's dearth of coalition partners.

In a live interview with Morning Report today, Mr Bridges said he has not been in talks with Mr Tava and had not seen anything concrete regarding the formation of a party.

He said he was not aware of any other National MPs meeting with Mr Tava regarding the party.

But he said he agreed with Mr Tava that it was not fair any one party should have a monopoly on environmental concerns in New Zealand.

"At the moment you have a Green Party that very much is to the left of Labour, it will only go with Labour, there will be a group of New Zealanders there ... who say 'well actually, they're not representing me'."

Mr Bridges said the party would be a potentially valuable addition but it would need to be organic and to drive itself.

Mr Bridges said he has heard from New Zealanders about "the tragedy of a Green Party in name, but is to the left of Labour and is not able to get the wins to the environment that would be there were they to sit in the middle".

Mr Bridges said it was very early days in regards to such a new environmental party and at this stage nothing was either on or off the table.

Comments

They would split the vote / only way to go is bring back first past the post///// we would then get who we vote for /

The 'centrist' Green is still committed to sustainability, which is non exploitative, or not rip, sh*t and bust.