Ian McLean Green Scene Spokesperson for the Green Party

I was at the markets on Sunday, chatting with a stallholder who was selling off stuff.

'Yeah, returned here from Sweden six months ago with my Swedish wife and baby.

'We wanted to raise the children here. Was away for six years and now find NZ is not the great place it used to be. We are heading back to Sweden ASAP.”

What's the problem?

'Well, you can't live on one income, which means you have to compromise parenting.

'The houses are poorly constructed and really cold. The land is being poisoned with horticultural sprays, the rivers are toxic, and the beaches are littered with rubbish.

'This place might be green, but it isn't clean. We are much better off in Sweden.”

What do you do?

'I'm a builder. The industry in this country is still producing cheap housing that may minimise up-front production costs, but assigns high operating and maintenance costs to the future.

'Sweden learned the lesson of leaky homes back in the 1960s and now only builds quality houses that last.”

Will you be here for the election?

'No chance and no point. It looks like delivering more of the same anyway.”