KEY POINTS:
Green co-leader Russel Norman's plans to enter Parliament to replace Nandor Tanczos before the election have been stymied by the refusal of a candidate above him on the list to step aside.
In a statement today Mr Tanczos said he had agreed to stay until the election rather than leave earlier because Mike Ward - one of the candidates above Mr Norman on the party's 2005 list - had refused to step aside to allow Mr Norman to enter.
Mr Norman was placed at number nine on the party's 2005 list, requiring the two candidates above him to step aside for him to replace Mr Tanczos. Catherine Delahunty agreed to do so, but Mr Ward had not.
Previously Mr Ward has expressed reluctance to step aside, saying he was keen to be an MP again and could see merits in having a co-leader outside Parliament.
Mr Ward - who was a Green MP from 2002 to 2005 - has been punished in this year's list, dropping from number nine to number 14, a placing unlikely to see him get into Parliament after the election. Catherine Delahunty has retained a high placing at number eight.
The Green Party list is democratically chosen with all financial members able to vote on their preferences.
When he announced his decision to leave Parliament to take on a more radical role, Mr Tanczos said he wanted to remain until his Waste Minimisation Bill was passed.
Today he said progress had been slower than expected and the decision to stay until the election would also allow him to do this.
