Chlöe Swarbrick has been confirmed as the new co-leader of the Green Party, and immediately let rip at the Government’s “bully boy behaviour”.
She received 169 votes from Green Party members, with her only rival Alex Foulkes not getting a single vote. Two votes were cast to re-open nominations.
Swarbrick becomes co-leader alongside Marama Davidson immediately.
Outgoing co-leader James Shaw, who sparked the leadership contest when he announced in January he was stepping down, remains an MP.
The formal announcement in Auckland today was gazumped by Foulkes, who issued a press release at 11am congratulating Swarbrick on her victory and overwhelming mandate to be co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. This led the party to bring forward the announcement to 11am.
At the party’s Auckland headquarters, Swarbrick thanked members across the country for putting their faith and trust in her to lead the movement alongside Davidson.
“I ask everyone to put that faith and trust in themselves too, and in our collective capacity to transform our world for the better.
“Aotearoa can be a place where everyone has what they need to live a decent life, and our natural world is restored and protected, on a foundation honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi. That is the Greens’ vision, and one we work to see realised every single day,’ Swarbrick.
Swarbrick announced on February 2 she would contest the co-leadership position, three days after James Shaw announced he would be stepping down.
She promised to grow the Green Party and revealed her ultimate goal: “the nation’s first Green-led government” and described herself as a “well-researched radical”.
Today, Swarbrick attacked the Government’s “cruel and, frankly, bizarre 100-day programme.
“They know that many of the things they have done will make things worse for people and the planet and they’ve told New Zealanders that they don’t care.
“We’ve heard from people across the country of their deep despair. That’s precisely what this Government wants from you: to switch off. Don’t.
“The coalition wants you to think better is impossible. They want you to acquiesce to oil, gas and mining lobbyists’ wishlists to destroy our natural environment.
“They want you to give in to their bonkers agenda that’ll see more people die from smoking to fund landlords’ tax cuts. They want you to believe all politics and politicians are the same - it benefits them and their donors for you to switch off.
“Don’t let this Government’s bully boy behaviour silence you,” she said.
Davidson said it is going to be “fantastic to have Chlöe alongside me leading our biggest caucus ever in the fight against this Government’s cold, cynical and cruel agenda.
“Chlöe is an incredible MP, colleague, and friend. She has proven time and time again her unique ability to mobilise communities to push for the change Aotearoa needs.”
Foulkes said he never expected to win against one of the most talented politicians in Aotearoa New Zealand, saying someone suggested to him he had more chance of spotting the fabled South Island Kokao than winning this election.
Swarbrick rose to public attention when she contested the Auckland mayoralty in 2016, coming a respectable third on a shoestring budget.
Following the contest, she joined the Green Party and became a list MP at the 2017 election.
Three years later, she won the seat of Auckland Central despite the big red wave sweeping the country in 2020, and then kept it last year despite voter resentment towards an incumbent government the Greens were a part of.
She has shared some of her personal life too, including being queer and her experiences with depression. And she’s garnered international headlines for her “okay, Boomer” quip in the House in 2020.
Swarbrick regularly features in the preferred Prime Minister stakes in political polls.
Armed police stood guard as the patched members were led out in handcuffs.