Hayley Holt: A seat in Parliament or a market stall in Whanganui

Green Party election candidates at Saturday's River Traders market - Ash Holwell, standing in Whangarei; Nicola Patrick (Whanganui); Hayley Holt (Helensville); and Thomas Nash (Palmerston North).

Hayley Holt has a number in mind - 14.2 per cent.

That's what she reckons the Green Party needs to poll at September's general election to land her (number 17 on the party list) a seat in Parliament.

The former professional dancer, international sportswoman and television presenter was at the River Traders market on Saturday morning, supporting the Plastic Bag Free Whanganui event.

Aucklander Ms Holt - who came to fame with her appearances across four seasons of Dancing With The Stars - is contesting former prime minister John Key's old seat of Helensville.

"It's my first time in Whanganui, but I love it ... the old buildings, the market," she said.

Asked to pick her personal favourite among Green policies, she chose the taonga levy which would see overseas visitors pay around $20 on arrival in New Zealand, with the money going toward conservation - 70 per cent to Predator-Free NZ, and 30 per cent to a regional tourism fund to pay for infrastructure.

Despite being a former presenter for sports show The Crowd Goes Wild, Ms Holt had missed the America's Cup victory parade, and her prediction of a 24-12 win for the All Blacks over the Lions in Saturday's deciding test match proved wide of the mark.

If the Green Party was a dance, she felt it would be the foxtrot - "A slow-burner and the purest form of ballroom dancing that sometimes gets lost among those flashy dances like the cha-cha-cha."

And if the 14.2 per cent doesn't materialise?

"Well, if it all goes tits-up, I can always move to Whanganui and start my own market stall."