22 Oct 2015

Russel Norman gives final speech to Parliament

6:28 pm on 22 October 2015

Former Green Party co-leader Russel Norman has used his final speech in Parliament to lament what he says is a loss of democracy in New Zealand.

Russel Norman

Russel Norman Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

Dr Norman became the party's male co-leader in 2006 and has been an MP since 2008. Earlier this year he resigned as co-leader, and last month announced he was leaving Parliament altogether to take up a new job as head of Greenpeace New Zealand.

During his speech this evening, he told the House there was a growing problem with public access to information.

"In my view, the Official Information Act is relatively moribund here in New Zealand - it is very, very difficult to get information from the government that the government does not wish to release. That is a problem."

Dr Norman's list seat will be taken by Marama Davidson.