Greens brush-off for voters

Anna Wallis PHOTO/FILE

The decision by the Green Party not to stand a candidate in the Whanganui electorate is a shocker. It will leave hundreds of Wanganui people without a choice in the electorate, and perhaps making the decision not to vote at all.

And one of the worst aspects is that it will leave a lot of young people, who are losing the habit of voting, without that choice at a local level. For a party that has been around for almost 25 years, this is a big brush-off.

It means no Green viewpoint will be heard at candidate meetings in the electorate.

The unintended - or, perhaps, intended - consequence is a huge boost to Hamish McDouall, the Labour Party candidate.

It could be argued it really doesn't matter about the electorate. It is the party vote the Greens want and left-leaning voters in the electorate can still vote for other parties. However, some will find voting Labour, for instance, a backward step.

Perhaps this can generously be viewed as the Greens being loath to put just anyone up to make up the numbers. But if you have been around since 1990, are the third largest party in New Zealand and want more people to connect with your views, then why is Whanganui without someone who believes in the Greens enough to stand for Parliament?

John Milnes, long-time Green Party advocate and its candidate for the past three elections, was honest about his reasons for not standing - he's run out of puff. Fair enough.

He also says the party's visibility in the electorate will be maintained with its usual Saturday market gig, and argues it is there 12 months a year, every year and not just making an appearance prior to an election.

Not buying it, though, Mr Milnes - some succession planning is needed here.