By Lydia Anderson
An eager but apprehensive crowd of supporters has gathered at Hopetoun Alpha in Auckland, where guests of the Green Party are still arriving.
MC Rick Leckinger kicked off the proceedings saying “welcome to the Green Party’s 2014 happy place".
"Relax, enjoy yourselves and find the bar."
The Greens’ youngest candidate Jack MacDonald, 21, from the Kapiti Coast delighted the crowds with a spontaneous welcome mihi, thanking supporters and outlining the Greens’ core priorities.
“It wasn’t necessarily my best work,” he admitted. “I just came up with it on the spot.”
He says he is feeling nervous about the results.
The Greens would need at least 15.5 percent of the vote to bring him into Parliament and he’s realistic about his chances.
“I haven’t got my hopes up...it’s quite a stretch.”
Actress Lucy Lawless says she’s excited but is also keeping her hopes in check.
“But that’s a democracy,” she shrugs.
To her, it doesn’t matter whether Labour or National win, because neither has policies to combat the “real issues” like the Greens do.
“They’re the party of the future.”
It's not just an Auckland party - the Greens are skyping their members in London, Melbourne and Wellington to wave to the cheering crowd.
3 News
source: newshub archive
