Greens Party co-leader Marama Davidson rejects idea that James Shaw has taken the Party too far to the centre after a candidate quit, saying he’s fed up with Mr Shaw's leadership.
The Party held their annual general meeting at the weekend after a year-and-a-half in coalition with Labour and NZ First.
At the event they revealed some plans for the future, but it was overshadowed by the resignation of Jack McDonald who cited he was leaving after three years because he didn't like the direction of the Party.
Jack McDonald has left his roles saying it’s because of James Shaw’s inept leadership. (Source: Other)
Ms Davidson told TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning Mr McDonald didn't talk to her about the decision, and denied claims Mr Shaw had taken the Party too far to the centre.
"Jack is a long valued member like many of our grass-roots, core Green members," she said. "And we agree with sentiment that comes from him and even our other supporters, we want to make bolder more progressive changes and fast."
She said in their time, the Greens have had good influence in Parliament, including phasing out single-use plastic bags and the Zero Carbon Bill which is before the House.
"Those are incredible successes that show the Green heart at the centre of Government. We of course again would like to get faster, stronger changes in place and if voters want to help us put those transformational changes in for our planet and our people we would really love the support to have more Green MPs.
"With more Green MPs we will continue to keep pushing for those progressive changes."
Mr Shaw, too joined Breakfast, saying in the past 18 months the Greens had been "pushing the boat out", but not all members were happy to be working with other Party's in the coalition.
"We're the ones who've got the vision and the policies and now the track record, but that does involve some compromise and it does involve being quite pragmatic," he said.
"I guess the risk was always going to be in our first term in Government that making those compromises in order to make that progress was going to be a bit much for some people to handle."
Mr Shaw added that despite not always liking to compromise and as a support Party "you're not going to get everything you want", the vast majority of the Green Party members are "delighted" to be in Government.
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