'Green must be the new mainstream' - Metiria Turei

Mrs Turei was introduced as the "senior female politician in Opposition" and received a standing ovation. Photo / Jason Dorday

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei says her party's 25th year has been its most successful yet.

Opening the party's AGM in Auckland this morning, Mrs Turei marked the quarter-century anniversary of the Greens and its previous incarnations The Values Party and the Alliance.

"We are still here," she told a crowd of around 200 delegates.

"Not one single party other than National and Labour that stood in the 1990 election is still around, let alone doing better than ever."

Mrs Turei was introduced as the "senior female politician in Opposition" and received a standing ovation.

Despite the party failing to raise its vote in the general election, Mrs Turei said it had been the Greens' "most successful political year to date".

The party received the highest number of votes in its history, has enrolled record numbers of members, and raised more money than Labour.

She said that the Greens had historically been ahead of the curve, in particular on climate change and social policy.

From left Vernon Tava, Gareth Hughes, Kevin Hague and James Shaw. Photo / Audrey Young, New Zealand Herald

"If orange is the new black, then green must be the new mainstream."

Government policy was now catching up, she said, pointing to National's unlikely increase to welfare payments in the Budget and introduction of a tax on capital gains.

The other key theme of her speech was that the National-led Government was out of touch - on housing, transport, and energy use.

"The longer John Key and his National Party sit in the Beehive, the more out of touch with the lives of New Zealanders they become."

No new policy will be revealed at the AGM, but the party will announce its new male co-leader today and will unveil a new climate change campaign tomorrow.

The campaign aims to encourage the National-led Government to commit to an ambitious emissions reduction target at high-level talks in Paris later this year.

"It seems hard but it we can move them on child poverty, we can move them on anything," Mrs Turei said.

She farewelled her "partner in crime" Russel Norman, who is resigning as co-leader but will remain as an MP.

The frontrunners to replace Dr Norman are Kevin Hague and James Shaw, and Gareth Hughes and Vernon Tava are also in the race.

"I have to say I feel a little bit like the Bachelorette," Mrs Turei said. "It's certainly been a while since I've had four men chasing after me to become my partner.

"And while they may not have the rippling abs and paleo diet toned bodies of the TV version, our bachelors are all political Adonises."

Mrs Turei reiterated that she had no plans to stand down before the 2017 election.
The new male co-leader will be revealed at around 2pm.