17 January 2007

Nandor not standing in 2008 election

Green MP Nandor Tanczos announced today that he will not be putting his name forward as a candidate for this year's election.

"I went into Parliament with the stated intention of doing three terms. I have now given almost a decade of service to the Green Party in Parliament.

"During that time I have achieved a number of initiatives of which I am proud, including the passage of Clean Slate legislation, regulations to allow farmers to grow hemp, an independent prison inspectorate, and significant amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act.

"I also negotiated an inquiry into victim's rights, into New Zealand's constitution - following the passage of the Supreme Court Act - and into cannabis prohibition.

"I have helped negotiate funding for environmental legal aid and for best practise drug education. I also achieved increased funding for community law centres.

"This is in addition to my continued advocacy for constitutional change based on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, restorative justice and a rehabilitative approach to crime, for the clean up of the dairy industry, for rational IT policy and against student loans.

"My major contribution to the Green Party organisation has probably been in playing a key role in initiating and facilitating long term strategic planning, in particular our relationships with other political parties."

Nandor says that he has received numerous messages from people asking him to stand again for election, following media speculation that he may leave Parliament. He is grateful for those kind messages of support.

"In 1999 I brought something that the Green Party, and that Parliament, needed - a radical and fresh voice. That was an important factor in getting the Greens elected at all as an independent party.

"The challenge now is not getting elected, but increasing our influence. The Green Party needs to be able to work with all parties and cut across old political boundaries. It needs to be seen as a safe pair of hands.

"The Green Movement, on the other hand, needs to become far more radical in my view. We must be fearless in challenging the absurd economic system leading us to destruction. The real changes we need to make will not be driven by politicians, but by communities organising themselves.

"Parliament thinks it is sovereign, but I look forward to working once again at the grassroots, the real source of all political power."

ENDS

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