Replacing Rod Donald
Generally I would wait longer before speculating on the political aspects of the Greens losing Rod Donald, but as there are front-page media stories on the issue, I guess it is fine.
There are four main roles for which the Greens need to find a replacement for Rod Donald. They are:
1) List MP
2) Co-Leader
3) Finance Spokesperson
4) Political ‘Director’
Taking them in turn:
1) List MP
Nandor Tanczos is next on the list. It is likely he will take it up, but he may have to decide soon. If the next person on the list was a new person, he might give way to them, but each of the next two after Nandor are not ideal. Mike Ward is 8th and he is a nice guy but with the Greens already having one of the older average ages in Parliament, bringing back a guy in his 60s would not help them with the youth vote. After Ward is the capable Catherine Delahunty, but if she came in then you would have only one male MP in the Caucus.
So 90% likely to be Nandor, with say a 10% chance they may jump down to Russel Norman at No 10. The more they think about it, the more Norman may make sense though. They were devastated to lose Nandor at the election, but the question now is the skill set needed to replace Rod Donald.
2) Co-Leader
If the Greens didn’t have their stupid gender quotas, they could just select the best person for the job, which in my eyes would be Sue Bradford. But their constitution says it has to be a male. Everyone agrees it will not be Keith Locke unless they have an electoral oblivion wish. Nandor is a possibility, but it will be a huge step up for him. The next male possibility is Russel Norman. Now they could make him a co-leader outside Parliament (with a guaranteed list place next election) but this is a full-time job so the Green Party would have to pay him a salary.
Jeanette has indicated she will probably retire next election. I expect her replacement would be Bradford or Turei. Thus it is important to have an experienced co-leader.
3) Finance Spokesperson
As much as the business community didn’t like Green policies, Donald did a good job in knowing the economic issues, and being able to speak credibly on such issues. There is no obvious successor for this important portfolio unless you go down to Roland Sapsford at No 15. As they need someone in Parliament the safe bet is probably to give it to Fitzsimons but they could try Bradford or Turei out with it.
4) Political ‘Director’
Donald was their main political strategist. He lived and breathed political campaigns. Again there is no obvious successor for this role unless ones goes down to Russel Norman at No 10 who was their national campaign manager.
It will be interesting to see what the Greens do. In their hearts they will instinctively want Nandor back (as reported here) but the more one looks at it, the more bringing in Russel Norman makes strategic sense – it solves both the leadership issue, and the political campaign experience issue.
November 7th, 2005 at 3:58 pm
It seems that Russel Norman would be the best option for the Greens. Keith Locke is just too scary.
November 7th, 2005 at 4:08 pm
Is it just me, or does the future suddenly look very bleak for the Greens?
November 7th, 2005 at 4:24 pm
A very perceptive post. Without knowing much about the replacements, I get the impression that the Greens are better off introducing new blood. They are not in government so they don’t need experience, and Nandor’s own record as a MP is at best questionable. If the Greens are looking to broaden their appeal instead of appealing to a shrinking voter base, they would be better off looking at bringing on Russell Norman.
November 7th, 2005 at 4:25 pm
Gender and age shouldn’t come into it.Person showing best leadership qualities should be chosen.
November 7th, 2005 at 4:39 pm
My guess is they will appoint a co-leader from outside Parliament and then at the next election that person will get the no1 or no2 slot.
November 7th, 2005 at 5:54 pm
Surely its the choice of the next person on the list not the party, and if the partuy didn’t like it the would have to go to court a la Donna Awatere Huata
November 7th, 2005 at 6:28 pm
Most people will step aside for the sake the Party if they are asked. I’m sure if the party said to Nandor “We really need Russell” he would stand aside.
November 7th, 2005 at 6:43 pm
“the best person for the job, which in my eyes would be Sue Bradford” – HAHAHAHAHAHA
oh yeah wait they’re all just as bad. but man, she always looks like she’s had a lot of pills
November 7th, 2005 at 8:29 pm
>Generally I would wait longer before speculating on the political aspects of the Greens losing Rod Donald, but as there are front-page media stories on the issue, I guess it is fine.
On the other hand stan’s little gem above suggests that maybe you could have at waited until after the funeral.
November 7th, 2005 at 9:08 pm
I genuinely feel for the family of Rod Donald who died far too young.It is a tragedy that hits most of us somewhere down the line. But if Nandor,Locke or Bradford take over his position,,the tragedy will be compounded…his Green “sanity” will be lost among the radical rabble of the Party he was so influential in forming.
November 8th, 2005 at 6:43 am
Who will be the new Spokesperson for Buy Kiwi Made?? It was part of the Greens support agreement so I assume it will have to go to a Green MP??
November 8th, 2005 at 7:35 am
Andrew – Anyone could do that. Hell even I could do that. We’ve had such campaigns in the past.
November 8th, 2005 at 7:44 am
Yea I vaguely remember one when I was at primary school.
Do they work??
November 8th, 2005 at 11:46 am
I would have thought Kedgley would be a far better replacement as co-leader. She would appeal to the vast middle class vote in a way Bradford never could.
November 8th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
Replacing Rod
DPF at Blog Central has a good post explaining why the Greens may need to bring in their national campaign manager Russel Norman (ten on the Green list) instead of Nandor at number seven — the chief reason being that the Greens’ co-leader persons ne…
November 9th, 2005 at 3:38 pm
I agree with Logix, give us a chance to grieve please. I think the behaviour of some members of the media has been appalling. As a member I don’t even want to think about who’s up next until after the funeral.