Greens want Tanczos back in Parliament 

Nandor Tanczos is next in line on the party list. Herald file picture

The Greens want Nandor Tanczos back in Parliament after the death of party co-leader Rod Donald yesterday.

Today Green Party leader Jeanette Fitzsimons scotched speculation the party might leapfrog Mr Tanczos with number 10 on the list, Russell Norman.

Mr Donald, 48, died at his Christchurch home yesterday. It is thought he had a heart attack.

Mr Tanczos is next in line on the party list. This morning he was not at his Hamilton home and was not taking calls.

He was said yesterday to be too distraught to talk.

There has been speculation that Mr Tanczos was seen as a one-issue politician and the Greens might leapfrog him and the next two list candidates -- former MP Mike Ward and Catherine Delahunty, to election campaign manager Mr Norman.

Ms Fitzsimons today refuted this suggestion.

"That's not the case. I don't know where they got that from. I'm pretty sure he will be back. Because he has been spending time with his two-year-old daughter and thinking about what he was going to do next, I just wanted to give him some time to think about it.

"You can't expect him to absorb the death of his close friend and a change in plans just like that."

Asked if she wanted him back in Parliament, she replied: "Oh yes."

Political commentator Chris Trotter was also unconvinced about the possibility of Mr Tanczos being asked to step aside in favour of Mr Norman.

"I think Jeanette Fitzsimons is correct in simply calling 'time out' on a replacement.

"Russell Norman is a confident young man and hard-nosed individual with the same ebullience as Rod, but whether or not the Greens want to find a Rod Donald look-a-like or completely reshape the configuration of their party will need a great deal of thought."

Under the Greens co-leadership rules on gender equality, Mr Donald has to be replaced by a male, with Keith Locke the only qualifier in Parliament.

- nzpa