The Green Party plans to submit a bid to the Government's oil and gas exploration tender.
The bid is part of its campaign to try to stop the planned expansion of off-shore drilling.
Last month, the Government announced it would open up three offshore areas totalling 189,000 square kilometres for bids for oil and gas exploration permits.
Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei says while the Government is giving oil companies the right to bid to exploit New Zealand's environment, the Green Party plans to submit a competing bid to protect it.
She says the party is inviting New Zealanders to become stakeholders in its bid, called the 'Kiwi Bid'.
Mrs Turei says the Kiwi Bid will give the Government a clear choice - either pursue risky deep sea oil drilling that profits the oil companies, or accept the bid from thousands of Kiwis who love the beaches and pristine ocean and want to protect them.
