Green Party list MP Catherine Delahunty is contesting the Coromandel electorate in this year's general election but admits her focus will be on collecting party votes for the Greens.

Speaking to SunLive today, Catherine says she's delighted to be selected to re-stand in the electorate.

Green MP Catherine Delahunty will face National MP Scott Simpson in this year's election.

'We will be focussed on the party vote, but I will also be putting myself forward as a candidate for the Coromandel electorate.

'It's my home and I've been living here many years; I have strong connections to it,” says the current list MP, who lives in the Kauaeranga Valley near Thames.

Coming third in the 2011 general election for the Coromandel seat with 5660 votes, which National MP Scott Simpson won with a 17,500 vote majority, Catherine doesn't expect victory this time round either.

'When you look at the voting patterns for the Coromandel seat, it's not a marginal seat we're likely to experience any change at the electorate level this coming election – but the party vote is critical in this election; and we think we can do really well in the party vote and make a strong showing.

'I think this is a critical year for this country – and a year when the Green Party is a really positive alternative to our current government. Citizens are looking for change, looking for people who will stand up for communities and the environment – and that's what we offer.”

Catherine's current two main portfolios are being the Green Party associate spokesperson for environment, and spokesperson for toxics and mining.

She's also associate spokesperson for education along with co-leader Meteria Turei; and is party spokesperson for Treaty of Waitangi, plus she works on the issue of families caring for disabled members.

'My main focus is, at the moment, on toxic chemicals in the home, and mining and contaminated sites – the mining one is particularly relevant to Coromandel.”

National MP Scott Simpson confirmed in December he's standing as the Coromandel National Party candidate for the 2014 general election after no other nominations were presented.

'The big year of campaigning has started early – I think all of the major parties were out of the blocks in the first few weeks of the New Year,” says Scott.

'I think it's going to be a very intense year and it's my plan to campaign hard in Coromandel and to continue working hard – and I'm confident if do that then Coromandel people will be happy to hopefully return me as part of the John Key-led National Party.”