The Greens' path to power

1972: Values Party is formed and wins 2 per cent of the vote; 5 per cent in 1975; 2.4 per cent in 1978.

1981-87: Values Party contests just a handful of seats.

1989: Values, the Green Party of Aotearoa is formed as a loose confederation of green groups.

1990: Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is formed. Wins 6.85 per cent of the vote under first-past-the-post. No MPs.

1991: Greens join three other parties - NewLabour, Democrats, Mana Motuhake - to form the Alliance (Liberals join later).

1993: Alliance wins 18.3 per cent of the votes and gets two MPs, Jim Anderton and Sandra Lee. Referendum endorses MMP voting system to start in 1996.

1996: Alliance wins 10.1 per cent of vote and 13 MPs including three Green MPs, co-leaders Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald, and Phillida Bunkle.

1997: Greens decide to leave the Alliance. Phillida Bunkle leaves the Greens and becomes an Alliance MP.

1999: Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons wins Coromandel, allowing the Greens to claim their 4.9 per cent of the vote with MPs Rod Donald, Ian Ewen-Street, Sue Bradford, Nandor Tanczos and Sue Kedgley.