The leader of the newly formed Sustainable New Zealand Party says he has 'hundreds' of members ready to register and is shooting for 10 percent of the vote in 2020.
- Waterways might not need tougher pollution rules - potential 'blue-green' party leader Vernon Tava
- New 'centrist green' political party could partner with National
Speaking with Newshub Nation today, Vernon Tava promised voters a business-friendly alternative to the Greens, who he says have become led by 'eco-socialism'.
"The ecosocialist view of the Greens is inherently hostile to business. They see it as a predatory, exploitative force in society."
By contrast, Mr Tava says he believes working with the business sector will be essential in addressing environmental issues.
"The kind of creativity and innovation that we need to unleash, to deal with the many interconnected problems we face, can only come from the business sector."
The Sustainable NZ party needs 500 paying members to register with the electoral commission. Mr Tava is confident he'll reach that mark and has high hopes for his centrist party in the next general election.
"It is my firm belief that there are enough people in the broad political centre… We have a massive number of people who shift between parties each election, so there is a lot of room to move."
Another option to reach Parliament would be an Epsom-style arrangement with National, which party leader Simon Bridges has yet to rule out.
Mr Bridges voiced tentative support for the Sustainable New Zealand Party on the AM show by saying:
"I think the idea of a party in the middle that wasn't about all the left-wing stuff, if you like, but was about the environment and doing something with that, could be quite powerful."
Watch the full interview with Vernon Tava above.
Newshub Nation.
Newshub Nation will return 9:30am Saturday March 2nd, 2019. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Newshub Nation is supported by New Zealand on Air.
