RUSSEL NORMAN: WILL HE AND THE GREEN PARTY CHOOSE COKE OR PEPSI?

I see that the Green Party co-leader Russel Norman has also started to refer to Labour and National as the 'Coke' and 'Pepsi' parties.

The problem for Norman is that the Green's having been drinking Coke Labour for many years now and it's no good - six weeks before an election - for Norman to start pretending otherwise.

Former socialist Norman and the Green's think that they can use 'the undoubted power of the market'(Norman's words) to address environmental concerns. Eco-socialism is something of a rare commodity in the Green Party, except among those small number of Green Party members disgruntled with the rightward direction that the party has been taken in.

While the other co-leader. Jeanette Fitzsimons, claims the party does not believe in 'old fashioned' labels like 'right wing' and 'left wing' the Green hierarchy have it made it clear that they are open to making electoral deals with either of those two old fashioned right wing parties, Labour and National.

But Norman is trying to downplay this. He wants us to believe that we're getting something different from the Green's when it's just more pro-market policies with a mild green flavor. It's no good for the Green's to complain about the 'two party club' when the Green's have been helping to prop it up - and look like they will continue to do so.

It's just a case whether the Green's will be going for Coke or Pepsi after the election results have rolled in.