I'm among the 12-14 per cent of voters in New Zealand who applaud what the Green Party stand for and I will vote for their strong presence in the next parliament.

Contrary to some of your readers' stereotypical images of Greens, I don't wear leather sandals, don't smoke pot, don't hug trees, don't wear hemp pants, don't have dreadlocks.

I'm far from a 'drippy” or fringe loony, nor am I an extreme left-wing communist, socialist or any other name you wish to sideline me with.

I must say it has been a while since I heard name-calling like that though. Nor will I dismiss dirty attack politics as 'to be expected” and which are 'nothing new”. I think NZ can do better. I'm voting for a healthy planet for us and for future generations and other species to share.

A Green voice offers advocacy for environmental protection, restraining the forces of limitless and unsustainable economic growth that risks and degrades our environment.

New Zealand could be more than just a business run by businessmen politicians, and unscrupulous ones at that.

It's time for a new vision that places people, a fair society and the environment paramount over the shorter-term interests of business.

Because the Greens challenge the conventional ‘business As Usual' paradigm, they attract angry reaction.

To my mind they're not doing their job unless they challenge, push some buttons, rattle a few cages.

And that job is to offer longer-term thinking, with sustainability at its core. It's unfortunate such vision elicits such strong reactions.

Dr Ron Lopert, Welcome Bay.