Election 2020: Greens co-leader James Shaw walks back Green MPs 'bottom line' wealth tax comments

Greens co-leader James Shaw is walking back comments made by one of the party's senior MPs, who said a wealth tax was a "bottom line" in any post-election coalition negotiations.

Julie Anne Genter made the comments on a MYOB small business panel this week when discussing the Greens policy to make people with a net worth of $1 million and $2 million year pay a 1 per cent and 2 per cent wealth tax, respectively.

A bottom line, in this context, traditionally means it's a policy that needs to be part of a Government's agenda if the larger party wants the support of a smaller party.

New Zealand First is well known for its "bottom lines".

But the Greens have never really had "bottom line" policies, which is what made Genter's comments so notable.

Speaking to RNZ this morning, however, Shaw said the wealth tax policy was a policy the party would be pushing for – not a bottom line.

"It's a top priority."

Shaw said Genter's comments were a "heat of the moment thing…that happens during these debates".

He added that it had been a "very long election campaign".

"People are getting tired and I think she [Genter] was just pressed on the point."

He said the Greens lay out a series of priorities at every election.

It then looks at its total vote, how many MPs it has in Parliament and what position the party is in to negotiate.

Last election, after looking at these factors, Labour and the Greens agreed to the confidence and supply agreement.

"We will be doing the same approach this time," Shaw said.

Monday's 1News/ Colmar Brunton poll showed that the Greens were on 6 per cent – just above the 5 per cent threshold.

If they don't get above that level, the party won't get back into Parliament.

Earlier this month, Shaw revealed that the Greens were prepared to forego a coalition or confidence and supply arrangement and sit on the crossbenches if post-election talks do not go their way.

He said if the Greens held the balance of power it was "always a possibility" that they would walk away from negotiations with Labour if they could not get the gains they wanted.