17/01/2008 00:00:00
New Zealand: Nandor Tanczos to Retire from Parlaiment
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Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos has announced he will not stand at this
year's election.
New Zealand's first Rastafarian MP was elected to Parliament in 1999.
Mr Tanczos says at that time he brought a fresh and radical voice, which
was an important factor in getting the Greens elected to Parliament.
He says the challenge now is to increase the party's influence and the
Greens must be able to work with all parties.
The MP says he always intended to serve three terms and is looking
forward to returning to the grassroots of the Green movement.
Mr Tanczos says he would have felt obliged to stay on in Parliament if
he had been elected co-leader of the Greens in 2006, but says he is not
leaving because he did not get the job.
Greens co-leader Russel Norman says Mr Tanczos was a key part of the
party's team in Parliament and will be sadly missed.
Disappointment over cannabis reform
Mr Tanczos, who has been open about his cannabis use as part of his
Rastifarian religion, says he is disappointed that he never managed to
achieve cannabis law reform.
However, he says he wants to see his Waste Minimisation Bill passed
through Parliament before stepping down.
The bill is due to be reported back from select committee consideration
by March, and requires three further debates in Parliament before it
could become law.
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13169
Author:
News Zealand Radio via UKCIA
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