Swarbrick rules herself out of leadership challenge
Climate Change Minister says he’ll fight to retain role
Green MP Chlo¨e Swarbrick yesterday ruled herself out from running for the party’s co-leadership. In a statement posted to Facebook, Swarbrick said there had been a lot of speculation in recent days since coleader James Shaw was ousted from the position at the Greens’ annual conference.
“What happened at our AGM was unprecedented and I, like all of our Green MPS, wanted to respect the process and take time to reflect and listen. That reflection will continue in the coming days and weeks.
“I am not in the running for the coleadership. Thank you to all of the lovely and kind people who’ve expressed their confidence in me. I will continue my work as Auckland Central’s MP, in my parliamentary portfolios and on Finance and Expenditure committee.”
Earlier yesterday Shaw confirmed he would contest the leadership, saying he was quietly confident of being re-elected.
“I am in it to win it,” Shaw told reporters saying he had spoken to party members and family and had decided to stand again as Green Party co-leader.
Shaw made the announcement after failing to get the 75 per cent votes of delegates at the party’s online annual meeting at the weekend to be reconfirmed in the role.
Co-leader Marama Davidson was reconfirmed by delegates.
This opens up the co-leadership role this week to challengers.
Pundits have speculated that Swarbrick may have a tilt for the coleadership given her popularity.
“If the media wants to talk leadership, let’s talk about it,” Swarbrick said yesterday.
“We’ll find it in the young people putting their futures on the line for the climate movement. We’ll find it on union pickets for fair pay and conditions. We find it in our classrooms with our teachers, in our hospitals with the nurses and midwives and health workers who deserve healthy conditions and quality wages.
“Those are the leaders who need our backing and that is where our energy is needed to change the politics — and the power dynamics — of this country and this world.”
Earlier, Shaw said events of the weekend showed how much members cared, and if successful he would “redouble efforts” over the environment and poverty. It was clear there was a lot more work to do and he remained frustrated they had not gone as fast as they should, Shaw said.
Government could be “glacially slow” and did not match the speed of the climate crisis.
Over the coming weeks and months Shaw said he would listen to members up and down the country.
He had not heard from each branch but members nationwide said they supported him.
After 2023 he saw the Greens again forming a government with Labour and said he would be co-leader.
Asked about the co-leadership contest at her post-cabinet press conference,
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the political rules of each party “was a matter for them” and did not affect the running of the Government.
Ardern said there was a significant agenda on climate and she had full confidence in Shaw.
“The decision to put him in that portfolio was not because we needed a relationship strictly with the Greens but . . . Shaw was the right person for the job,” Ardern said.
He had helped the Government make the “most significant” progress in climate action than any other Government.
Ardern said she pushed back on any suggestions the Government had not been ambitious, adding that Labour came in with a significant agenda themselves.
This was a highly complex area, and Shaw was a minister who had been in the role three years and had “value add”, she said.
Shaw may face a challenge by fellow Green MP Elizabeth Kerekere who said she is “considering options” on whether to challenge for the coleadership.
She said she would issue a statement after Caucus meets today.
Golriz Ghahraman ruled out putting herself up for the leadership and would not say whether she backed Shaw to hold on to the role.
“I prefer not to take a position on any co-leader candidate to allow the member-based process to run its course,” Ghahraman said.
Green MP Eugenie Sage told RNZ she was not standing for co-leader and “strongly” supported Shaw.