While the Greens, the Labour Party and the media talk up the prospects of the Green Party in Coromandel, they are all keeping quiet about who else would be elected if Fitzsimons were to win, says Belinda Vernon, MP for Maungakiekie.

If Fitzsimons wins Coromandel, she could bring with her 4 other MPs, based on the latest (22/10/99) NBR-Compaq poll.

“The voters in Coromandel, and potential Green voters nationwide, need to know who they may be electing to Parliament before they exercise their electorate and party votes, not afterwards,” argues Ms Vernon.

“Ian Ewen-Street, Sue Bradford (formerly of the unemployed workers’ movement) and Nandor Tanczos will be elected if the Greens get 3.6% of the Party Vote and win Coromandel.

Nandor Tanczos hit the headlines earlier this year as the co-ordinator of the Wild Greens, the group which uprooted potatoes at Crop and Food Research’s facility near Christchurch. The Wild Green website states “they will do it again”. Nandor Tanczos is the Greens’ spokesperson for justice.

The Greens’ website sheds further light on this potential MP: a Durham miners support group activist (84-85); a peace camper at RAF Molesworth (85); in the Peace convoy (85-86); co-initiator of the Revolutionary Tea Train national bus tour (91-92) a civil rights and non-violent direct action workshop facilitator since 91; in the anti roads movement and free rave scene in the UK in 95; has been on the board of directors and magazine editor for NORML (inc); student liaison for Beneficiaries Unemployed Movement, Hamilton; co-organiser of the Waitangi Day One Love/Unity celebrations in Auckland; a member of the Ras Tafari faith (Rastafarian).

“It is important that New Zealanders know who else they will elect as a result of electing an electorate candidate who will circumvent the 5% threshold.

“For those voting Green with their Party Vote it is important to know who they are electing to Parliament as a result of that vote.

“It’s too late to find out after Election Day,” concluded Ms Vernon.

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