(applause)
Kia ora ngā mihi nui kia koutou kia ora.
It’s an absolute privilege to be here with you today
and let me start by first acknowledging you and thanking you, our members.
I’d like to start off by paying tribute to Russel, our fabulous co-leader.
I’m running for co-leader to grow our vote, to achieve our policies which are more important than ever.
I’m standing for a new generation of Green growth,
to excite and inspire a whole new generation of Green supporter to achieve our policies.
I believe through hope, better communicating our vision, stronger campaigning and better organisation
we can achieve our policies which are more important than ever.
I want to lead a bigger more influential Green Party,
that in parliament achieves those policies that you have worked so hard on.
So who am I? I’m just a regular boy from the provinces.
I grew up in Gisbourne, and I was proud, I was really proud in 1999 to cast my first vote for the Greens
and inspired to see people like Keith, Jeanette, the Sues enter parliament.
Since I was inspired to join the Greens I’ve spent my entire working life working to protect the environment,
sailing on the Rainbow Warrior I put my body on the line to stop destructive deep sea bottom trawling,
and years later I managed to work successfully with the fishing industry
to protect places like the Chatham Rise from deep-sea mining and to achieve a national ban on shark-finning.
Now I’m raising two kids with my wife Megan. Arlo and Zoe, my two kids, they're my motivation.
They're my passion, they're a constant reminder of the work I do and the issues we fight on
and why they’re so important.
I’ve had experience and a track record leading teams, organising and winning campaigns for over 15 years.
I’m now in my third term of parliament.
Last term I was the whip or musterer in negotiating with other parties, contributing to my management team,
and I was proud to be the New Zealand Herald Backbencher of the Year in 2011
for my work with the Rena oil spill.
My passion though, and my professional experience, is achieving action on climate change.
Six years ago my proudest achievement was organising the country’s biggest ever climate change march up Queen street.
Six years on, I want to lead an even bigger march and a more powerful climate movement.
I believe this: my background as a climate champion would complement Metiria, our social champion.
Russel’s leadership saw the party go through a gear change, from a 5 to a 10% party,
and I’m standing here because I believe I can best grow our vote.
That’s what I believe you should be looking for in the candidates: who can grow our vote.
I want to lead our party to the next gear change, which is to a 15% plus party,
a party that cannot and will not be ignored.
I offer my experience leading campaigns, including some of Greenpeace’s largest.
I offer myself to bring a relentless focus to make sure we as a party door-knock more houses,
make more phone calls, do it more sophisticatedly, bring in more fundraising so we can see more votes.
I want to Green the suburbs.
I know what it’s like for many of our potential voters who look to us for solutions to the problems that ail them.
People who are struggling to get into a first home, pay down a student loan and work hard to make ends meet.
The data clearly shows the age group who is most available to us is the under 40’s,
and the only age group that actually increased its vote for us in 2014.
I’ll lead the push for our party to Green the suburbs, for people who are looking for solutions
to get into their first home, to get into a good job, to access affordable education.
They’re looking to us for solutions,
and for my generation it’s been housing, a job, and affordable education
which sadly, unlike my parents', are considered luxuries.
On economic credibility, I would work on Russel’s excellent work building our economic credibility,
and I’d add to it 'kitchen table issues'.
Many of the Green economic solutions are solutions that I have championed in my portfolios.
Across my parliamentary career in my portfolios I’ve championed cleaner, cheaper, smarter energy,
our thriving IT sector and the internet economy, affordable, accessible world-class tertiary education
and science and innovation as our economic future.
Lastly, as co-leader I would make Auckland a priority.
My political journey started here in 2000, and having lived here I love this city.
I believe one of our co-leaders should be based here full-time, so today I’m proud to announce
that I would commit, if elected, to moving here full-time.
I’m asking, when you’re discussing with the branch of your delegates for your first preference vote,
we must look to the future, we must grow our vote, we must be the change.
Kia ora koutou.
(applause)