Pubdate: Thu, 17 Nov 2005
Source: Dominion Post, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2005 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.dompost.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2550
Author: Vernon Small

PLENTY OF DEPTH IN GREEN PARTY

How strange that a party which set out to avoid the cult of 
leadership personality - and once even contemplated making leaders of 
all its members - should witness such an outpouring of public grief 
and sympathy on the death of its co-leader, Rod Donald.

 From the party's perspective, his loss is, of course, a huge body 
blow. But it is not the curtain call for the Greens that, say, the 
death of Winston Peters would be to NZ First or the death knell it 
would be for United Future if Peter Dunne no longer provided the 
Ohariu-Belmont life raft.

The potency of the Green brand, and the existence of a meaningful 
party structure, should ensure the Greens will survive the loss of 
even such an important individual.

That is not to denigrate Mr Donald's importance or contribution. He 
was the party glue, de facto chief press secretary, finance 
spokesman, morale booster and travelling road show. He was the 
Greens' Michael Cullen, keeping track of legislation and policy 
development. He kept tabs on resources, the MPs' superannuation fund 
and a raft of minor details that are required of a party with a 
parliamentary presence. Most of all, he did the politics, whereas 
most of his fellow Greens are focused on the policies. Those are the 
range of skills and tasks the Greens are now scrambling to replace 
and reallocate. His tragic death does cut across the natural 
succession plan, which would have seen Jeanette Fitzsimons retire 
first, to be replaced by a female co-leader, and Mr Donald step down 
sometime in the 2008-11 term for what he imagined would be a new 
career in local government. Perhaps even running for Mayor of Christchurch.

But the Greens' co-leader structure does mean that there is a leader 
in place and that the party can take the time till June to select a 
replacement. In the meantime, the Green Party executive this week has 
expressed confidence in Ms Fitzsimons and will begin to define the 
skills the new co-leader ought to have, even though it could have 
filled the vacancy in the interim.

The gender-balanced co-leadership model, set out in the party's 
constitution, will be retained.

The speculation around a replacement has so far focused on campaign 
manager and 10th-ranked list candidate Russell Norman, who clearly 
has the intelligence but comes across as either shy or aloof.

Those who have criticised the party for not "skipping" Nandor Tanczos 
miss the point that it was not a call the party could make. Mr 
Tanczos was on the list and it was his choice to return.

They also miss the point that, though he does not conform to the 
ideal MP in the eyes of most commentators, he is valued by the Greens 
and has an unusual charisma, particularly among young voters, that 
few other MPs possess. Anyone who has any doubts should put Mr 
Tanczos and any other 40-year-old MP in a group of teenagers and see 
who they flock around.

It is a quality Mr Donald saw, too, and his frustration at losing Mr 
Tanczos at the election went beyond the simple loss of a seventh 
seat. Along with Metiria Turei, Mr Tanczos represents the next 
generation among sitting Green MPs.

It is unlikely that Keith Locke, now in his 60s, will put his name 
forward for the co-leadership.

However, Mr Tanczos should not be ruled out, though he may prefer to 
spend all available time with his family.

But wouldn't that alienate middle New Zealand, mainstream voters, 
whom the Greens hope to attract?

Well, maybe. But that presupposes two things. First, that it is 
viable for the Greens to expand their voter base significantly and, 
second, that he is fatally typecast as a drug law reformer.

Of course they - and any party - would like to expand their appeal 
and win more seats. The election - and especially the post-election 
negotiations - have underscored just what a difference even a couple 
of seats can make to the shape of the Government.

But their more immediate challenge is to strengthen and deepen the 
commitment to the party of its existing sympathisers and supporters.

Mr Donald, in his last days, was frustrated as much by the damage to 
the Green vote from those who voted tactically - highlighted by the 
rebound in Green support after the election - as he was by the 
outcome of the coalition talks.

It is a point Ms Fitzsimons made in her first speech to the new 
Parliament this week as she looked at the shape of the current 
administration and toward the next election. "It is the Government we 
warned could be formed if people who supported the Greens gave their 
party vote instead to Labour, out of fear of National."

It was the kind of "lesser evil" voting which MMP was supposed to end 
in favour of a positive vote, but it is an important tactical reality 
the Greens must address.

On the second issue, Mr Tanczos is already moving to cast himself in 
a new role by leaving the responsibility for cannabis reform with Ms 
Turei and adding the core Green portfolio of the environment to his 
previous justice and constitutional roles.

That is not to say he is the front-runner to replace Mr Donald, or 
even that he will put his Rastafarian hat in the ring. It is just 
that, in assessing Green politics and the niche they inhabit, the 
usual assumptions are not always the right ones.
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MAP posted-by: Beth