Norman forecasts win over National

Russel Norman combined a visit to Edendale School with promoting the Greens' free school bus plan, a policy he says will cost $50 million. Photo / Dean Purcell

Greens co-leader Russel Norman says he has had a boost in support since the first major poll in the Mt Albert byelection showed has shown Labour with a huge lead.

Dr Norman believes National can be pushed into third place.

He said one of Labour's key messages had been not to split the vote and let National win.

"That message doesn't work any more because everyone knows National can't win the seat," he said yesterday.

"People are now free to vote for what they believe in."

The One News Colmar Brunton poll on Sunday gave Labour's David Shearer a 38-point lead over National's Melissa Lee.

Dr Norman was six points behind Ms Lee in the poll of 500 residents which had a 4.4 per cent margin of error.

In the countdown to Saturday's vote, Dr Norman spent the day campaigning in the rain at the Countdown supermarket in Pt Chevalier and outside Edendale School in Sandringham.

"Vote for me and put Melissa into third place," he said to one shopper at Pt Chevalier.

"I only smoke green," another shopper told Dr Norman.

One woman gave him a bag of pineapple lumps. And a man told him, "I wish ... [Labour leader Phil] Goff would shut his mouth."

Fellow Green MP Sue Kedgley joined Dr Norman at Edendale School, where his aim was to promote the Greens' policy of easing morning road congestion by providing free school buses - a policy he says would cost up to $50 million.

Mr Shearer is today expected to release his own transport policy with a private member's bill requiring the Transport Agency to fund the electrification of the Auckland rail network.

All the candidates are appearing at 9pm tonight on the TVNZ 7 show Backbenches and at a Unite! Union forum tomorrow afternoon.

TV3 will also release a poll today or tomorrow.