The Green Party says the Mt Albert by-election will be a vote on the super-city plan for Auckland and the privatisation of local assets.
Green Party co-leader and candidate Russel Norman launched the party's campaign for the seat at Mt Albert's Unitec campus in front of about 60 supporters on Sunday afternoon.
The seat was vacated by former prime minister Helen Clark and has always been held by the Labour Party.
Dr Norman says the Minister of Local Government Rodney Hide has an overt privatisation agenda which will impact on Mt Albert residents.
He says the Government will leave it up to local bodies to decide whether they are going to privatise assets.
Dr Norman says opposition to Auckland's proposed super-city will be at the heart of the Greens by-election campaign, as the plan will have consequences for the rest of New Zealand.
He says he will also campaign against the Waterview Connection which would create a motorway through low-income neighbourhoods.
The by-election is on 13 June.
