Green Party co-leadership race: Chlöe Swarbrick says she is 'not in the running' to replace James Shaw

James Shaw addresses the media after confirming he will contest the Green Party's co-leadership again. Video / Mark Mitchell

Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick has ruled herself out from running for the party's co-leadership.

In a statement posted to social media, Swarbrick said there had been a lot of speculation in recent days since co-leader James Shaw was ousted from the position at the Greens' annual conference.

"What happened at our AGM was unprecedented and I, like all of our Green MPs, wanted to respect the process and take time to reflect and listen. That reflection will continue in the coming days and weeks.

"I am not in the running for the co-leadership. Thank you to all of the lovely and kind people who've expressed their confidence in me. I will continue my work as Auckland Central's MP, in my parliamentary portfolios and on Finance and Expenditure committee."

Earlier today Shaw confirmed he would contest the leadership, saying he was quietly confident of being re-elected.

"I am in it to win it," Shaw told reporters saying he had spoken to party members and family and had decided to stand again as Green Party co-leader.

Shaw made the announcement after failing to get the 75 per cent votes of delegates at the party's online annual meeting at the weekend to be reconfirmed in the role.

Co-leader Marama Davidson was reconfirmed by delegates.

This opens up the co-leadership role this week to challengers.

The challenge comes after the party earlier voted to remove the male co-leadership requirement from its constitution. It now requires a woman and one person of any gender (providing leadership pathways for non-binary and intersex).

One co-leader also needs to be Māori.

Pundits have since speculated that Swarbrick may have a tilt for the co-leadership given her popularity.

"If the media wants to talk leadership, let's talk about it," Swarbrick said today.

"We'll find it in the young people putting their futures on the line for the climate movement. We'll find it on union pickets for fair pay and conditions. We find it in our classrooms with our teachers, in our hospitals with the nurses and midwives and health workers who deserve healthy conditions and quality wages.

"Those are the leaders who need our backing and that is where our energy is needed to change the politics - and the power dynamics - of this country and this world."

Kerekere 'considering options'

So far the only potential challenger is MP Elizabeth Kerekere, who says she is "considering options" and would issue a statement after the party's caucus meeting tomorrow.

Party member Trav Mischewski was one of the 32 Green delegates who voted against Shaw's re-election, which he said was to start a "conversation" about leadership rather than simply a vote of no confidence in Shaw.

Mischewski, part of the Young Greens faction, said it was better to have the conversation now than at next year's AGM, which would potentially be a month out from the general election.

"Let's have a conversation about where our party's going, what that's going to look like.

"There's been a growing dissatisfaction with where we are, that we're stagnating, hitting the centre with James' steering wheel.

"Even if James is to retain his position, then he's been challenged and he'll have at least engaged more effectively with the membership."

Mischewski said all the party's MPs could be "great leaders" and he did not want to put any pressure on them to come forward by naming favourites.

"But I wouldn't be surprised if there's a range of people that put their names forward," he said.

The nomination process is expected to open by tomorrow morning with a week for candidates to come forward.

If there are multiple candidates, a vote among party members will take place within four weeks.

If Shaw remains the sole candidate, the same process as occurred on Saturday will take place, with the options to re-affirm him as co-leader or open it up again to challengers.

Shaw to 'redouble' efforts if re-elected

Earlier, Shaw said events of the weekend showed how much members cared, and if successful he would "redouble efforts" over the environment and poverty.

It was clear there was a lot more work to do and he remained frustrated they had not gone as fast as they should, Shaw said.

Government could be "glacially slow" and did not match the speed of the climate crisis.

Over the coming weeks and months Shaw said he would listen to members up and down the country.

He had not heard from each branch but members nationwide said they supported him.

After 2023 he saw the Greens again forming a government with Labour and said he would be co-leader.

James Shaw was ousted as Green Party co-leader over the weekend - but will seek re-election. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Asked about the co-leadership contest at her post-Cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the political rules of each party "was a matter for them" and did not affect the running of the Government.

Ardern said there was a significant agenda on climate and she had full confidence in Shaw.

"The decision to put him in that portfolio was not because we needed a relationship strictly with the Greens but ... Shaw was the right person for the job," Ardern said.

He had helped the Government make the "most significant" progress in climate action than any other government.

Ardern said she pushed back on any suggestions the Government had not been ambitious, adding that Labour came in with a significant agenda themselves.

This was a highly complex area, and Shaw was a minister who had been in the role three years and had "value add", she said.

Golriz Ghahraman ruled out putting herself up for the leadership and would not say whether she backed Shaw to hold on to the role.

"I prefer not to take a position on any co-leader candidate to allow the member-based process to run its course," Ghahraman said.

Green MP Eugenie Sage told RNZ she was not standing for co-leader and "strongly" supported Shaw.

Meanwhile, Shaw said he was "quietly confident" of being re-elected. He had spoken to party members up and down the country ahead of announcing this morning he would stand again.

Shaw said he understood frustration from members about the "glacial" pace of Government over climate change, for which he had ministerial responsibility, indicating the Labour majority a roadblock to the "pace" needed.

But Shaw said he was proud of the "cross-party" support for climate action he had achieved and vowed to "redouble" efforts if re-elected.

Asked if he was out of touch with grassroots members, Shaw said he had support up and down the country but there had clearly been "some shift".

On the fact such leadership battles go on each year in the Green Party and potentially again in an election year in 2023, Shaw said it was a function of the Green Party as per the constitution.

"What I do hope is that this settles it."

Shaw said people had to remember the Green Party was founded by activists who had been fighting their lives for stronger action on climate change. There was a sense of urgency on climate change some felt was not matched by the Government, a sentiment Shaw said he shared.

"I actually share a lot of the frustration, even if that frustration is directed at me."

Asked if he was voted out Shaw said it was not something he was contemplating right now and would "cross that bridge" when it came to it.

He was "quietly confident" on the vote, he said.

Asked if his broad spectrum work on climate change, including working closely with farmers might have annoyed some of those in the Greens, Shaw said he was proud of that work but acknowledged, "it does come at some cost".

If he lost the co-leadership Shaw said he would continue as Climate Change Minister. His work there was "only just starting to bear fruit", he said.

Shaw also faced a leadership challenge last year, from Dunedin activist James Cockle, who campaigned on "not just giving away policies that are akin to being Labour's little helper".

Shaw was re-elected by a margin of 116 delegate votes to four.