The Green Party has added six new electorate candidates to its team for this year's election.

The candidates are: David Musgrave (Aoraki), Jacquie Wood (Christchurch East), Sonata McLeod (Dunedin South), Steve Rowsell (Palmerston North), Charles Drace (Waimakariri), and Julie Priddle (Whanganui).

Green Party Co-leader Rod Donald said the six candidates were a great mix of youth and experience who would bring a much-needed freshness and vitality to New Zealand politics.

They would be campaigning for the party vote to bring the Green Party over the five per cent threshold which would see Green MPs returned to Parliament following the November 27 general election. The Green Party has now selected 50 candidates.

David Musgrave, 52, has been a successful organic farmer and health food manufacturer for 12 years and previously worked as an agricultural researcher.

Sonata McLeod at 21 is the Green Party's youngest candidate. She has a strong background in environmental activism and was one of four Australasian representatives at a United Nations Environmental Programme Youth Conference in Japan.

Steve Rowsell, 51, is a builder and part-time doctoral student and has been active in Green, social and arts issues for much of his life.

Charles Drace, 54, is a certified financial planner. Mr Drace said he became a Green Party candidate because his research into genetic engineering showed it had the potential to destroy the country's exports, if we lost our "clean, green" image.

Julie Priddle, 44, works as a book designer and illustrator, and, as an artist, has exhibited around the country as Julie Greig. With her husband, Colin, Julie is developing an organic garden.

Jacquie Wood, 35, a single parent of a 2 1/2 year old daughter, has previously worked in the film, TV and advertising industries. Ms Wood said she believed the Green Party's safe food policies were "the only way to go for our children".

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