Russel Norman
Russel Norman (
1967 - ) is the
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand co-leader.
Norman was born in
Brisbane,
Australia, and came to New Zealand in
1997 to witness the red-green-brown coalition that was the
Alliance. He wrote his
political science PhD thesis on the Alliance, and was active within the party editing its party newsletter.
After immigrating to New Zealand, he became involved in
organic farming, and was active in the
Auckland branch of the
Green Party. Later, he worked as an assistant to Green MPs
Sue Kedgley,
Nandor Tanczos, and
Keith Locke. He was a researcher for the party from
2002 to
2004 and was the national campaign manager prior to the
2005 election and the national Party Development Co-ordinator afterwards. Following the death of
Rod Donald Norman put his name forward as a contender for the male co-leader position. Norman won the position at the 2006 AGM, beating
Nandor Tanczos (MP),
David Clendon and
Mike Ward (former MP) in an
STV vote by delegates from electorates around the country.
In the
2002 elections, Norman contested the Rimutaka electorate, where he placed fourth. He was ranked seventeenth on the Green Party list.
In the
2005 elections, he did not contest an electorate, but was ranked tenth on the
Green Party list.
*
Candidate bio on official website*
Announcement of winning co-leadership
