Nandor Tanczos. Photo / The Daily Post
One of Parliament's more colourful characters - Rastafarian Green MP Nandor Tanczos - intends to leave to return to his radical roots.
Mr Tanczos - who gained a high public profile initially because of his youth, his Rastafarian beliefs, pro-marijuana stance and dreadlocks - said he would not
stand in the 2008 election and may leave Parliament before then to allow another MP to take his place in the lead-up to the campaign.
Mr Tanzcos entered Parliament in 1999 as one of the Green Party's first batch of MPs.
He said he only ever intended to stay in Parliament for three terms and now wanted the freedom to voice more radical ideas than being an MP allowed.
Mr Tanczos said he would stay in Parliament at least until the process of taking his member's bill - the Waste Minimisation Bill - through Parliament was complete.
The bill, which provides incentives to dispose of waste carefully and encourages companies to use environmentally friendly packaging, is due back from a select committee in March after passing its first reading with Government support in 2006.
He said he did not believe there was pressure from the party for him to leave before the election, despite speculation he would do so to allow party co-leader Russell Norman to take his place.
