# Rod Donald

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New Zealand politician (1957–2005)

Rod Donald 1st Co-leader of the Green Party In office 21 May 1995 – 6 November 2005 Co-leading with Jeanette Fitzsimons Succeeded by Dr Russel Norman Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Green party list In office 27 November 1999 – 6 November 2005 Succeeded by Nándor Tánczos[n 1] Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Alliance party list In office 12 October 1996 – 27 November 1999 Personal details Born (1957-10-10)10 October 1957 Died 6 November 2005(2005-11-06) (aged 48) Christchurch, New Zealand Party Green Party Other political affiliations Labour (1982–1988) Values (1974–1979) Domestic partner Nicola Shirlaw

**Rodney David Donald** (10 October 1957 – 6 November 2005) was a New Zealand politician who [co-led](/source/Co-leaders_of_the_Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand) the [Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand](/source/Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand), along with [Jeanette Fitzsimons](/source/Jeanette_Fitzsimons).

He lived in [Christchurch](/source/Christchurch) with his partner Nicola Shirlaw, and their three daughters.[1][2]

## Early political career

Donald held [Values Party](/source/Values_Party) membership from 1974 to 1979 and then [Labour Party](/source/New_Zealand_Labour_Party) membership from 1982 to 1988. On becoming national spokesperson of the impartial [Electoral Reform Coalition](/source/Electoral_Reform_Coalition) from 1989 to 1993 he had to resign his party membership. After the success of the MMP referendum at the [1993 election](/source/1993_New_Zealand_general_election) he joined the Green Party in February 1994. After he became co-leader of the Greens in 1995, voters first elected him to [Parliament](/source/New_Zealand_Parliament) in the [1996 election](/source/1996_New_Zealand_general_election) as an [Alliance](/source/Alliance_(New_Zealand_political_party)) [list MP](/source/List_MP).

The Green Party left the Alliance to stand alone in the [1999 election](/source/1999_New_Zealand_general_election). He entered the 1999 parliament as number two on the Greens' [party list](/source/Party-list_proportional_representation). He retained his list seat in the [2002](/source/2002_New_Zealand_general_election) and [2005 elections](/source/2005_New_Zealand_general_election).

## Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament Years Term Electorate List Party 1996–1999 45th List 10 Alliance 1999–2002 46th List 2 Green 2002–2005 47th List 2 Green 2005 48th List 2 Green

For many years Donald had a special interest in [electoral reform in New Zealand](/source/Electoral_reform_in_New_Zealand). From 1989 to 1993 he served as spokesperson for the [Electoral Reform Coalition](/source/Electoral_Reform_Coalition) during the campaign that led to the introduction of [mixed-member proportional](/source/Mixed-member_proportional_representation) (MMP) representation. Subsequently, he played a major part in getting legislation passed to allow [STV](/source/Single_Transferable_Vote) voting in [local body](/source/Local_body) elections in New Zealand. Co-leader [Jeanette Fitzsimons](/source/Jeanette_Fitzsimons) described MMP as Donald's greatest legacy.[2]

He also served as the Green Party spokesperson on [Buy Kiwi Made](/source/Buy_Kiwi_Made),[3] commerce, [electoral reform](/source/Electoral_reform), finance and revenue, [land information](/source/Land_Information_New_Zealand), [regional development](/source/Regional_development) and [small business](/source/Small_business), [superannuation](/source/Superannuation), [sustainable economics](/source/Sustainability), [state services](/source/State_services), [statistics](/source/Statistics_New_Zealand), tourism, trade, and [waste](/source/Waste).

## Death

Shortly after midnight on 6 November 2005, the day before his scheduled swearing-in for his fourth term in Parliament, he died suddenly at his [Christchurch](/source/Christchurch) home after suffering for a few days from *[Campylobacter jejuni](/source/Campylobacter_jejuni)* [food poisoning](/source/Food_poisoning) from an unknown source. An autopsy initially ruled out a heart attack, but subsequent test-results determined that death resulted from an inflammation of the [heart muscle](/source/Heart_muscle) ([myocarditis](/source/Myocarditis)), which is a very rare consequence of *C. jejuni* infection.[4] He was 48 years old. His funeral, which took place at the [Christ Church Cathedral](/source/Christ_Church_Cathedral%2C_Christchurch), was attended by over 1,000 people.[5] His casket arrived on board an electric bus and his [wake](/source/Wake_(ceremony)) took place at the adjacent [Warner's Hotel](/source/Warner's_Hotel).[6] The Parliament showed its respect for Donald by suspending a day of business, and a [minute of silence](/source/Moment_of_silence) was observed in the [House of Representatives](/source/New_Zealand_House_of_Representatives).[1]

He was succeeded in the Green Party leadership by [Russel Norman](/source/Russel_Norman).

## See also

- [Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak (New Zealand)](/source/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(New_Zealand))

- [List of members of the New Zealand Parliament who died in office](/source/List_of_members_of_the_New_Zealand_Parliament_who_died_in_office)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Normally, list MPs do not have individual predecessors or successors, but Donald died during a parliamentary term and therefore was succeeded by Tánczos.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-farewell_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-farewell_2-1) ["Hundreds farewell Rod Donald"](http://tvnz.co.nz/content/625967). *[Television New Zealand](/source/Television_New_Zealand)*. 10 November 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-MMPleg_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-MMPleg_3-1) Taylor, Kevin (7 November 2005). ["MMP Donald's greatest legacy, says Fitzsimons"](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rod-donald-1957-2005/news/article.cfm?c_id=1500992&objectid=10353922). *[The New Zealand Herald](/source/The_New_Zealand_Herald)*. Retrieved 21 May 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Greens still missing Rod Donald "a lot" one year after his death"](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10408921). *[The New Zealand Herald](/source/The_New_Zealand_Herald)*. 3 November 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Rod Donald died after rare food bug"](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10423596). *[The New Zealand Herald](/source/The_New_Zealand_Herald)*. 12 February 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Rod Donald cause of death released"](http://tvnz.co.nz/content/626280?cfb3=3). *[Radio New Zealand](/source/Radio_New_Zealand)*. [Television New Zealand](/source/Television_New_Zealand). 11 November 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Rod_Donald_7-0)** Smith, Cullen (10 November 2005). ["Christchurch at standstill for Donald funeral"](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10354561). *[The New Zealand Herald](/source/The_New_Zealand_Herald)*. Retrieved 6 April 2011.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Rod Donald](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Rod_Donald).

- VIDEO of Rod Donald speaking (humorously) at the Winter 2000 GPANZ conference in Turangi on 3 June 2000 [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOlhP5T_C_o) on [YouTube](/source/YouTube_video_(identifier))

- [Rod Donald biography](http://www.greens.org.nz/people/roddonald) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20081015102050/http://www.greens.org.nz/people/roddonald) 15 October 2008 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (Green Party website)

Party political offices New political party Male co-leader of the Green Party 1995–2005 Served alongside: Jeanette Fitzsimons Succeeded by Dr Russel Norman

v t e Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand Party co-leaders Rod Donald (1995–2005) Russel Norman (2006–2015) James Shaw (2015–2024) Chlöe Swarbrick (2024–present) Jeanette Fitzsimons (1995–2009) Metiria Turei (2009–2017) Marama Davidson (2018–present) Current Green Party caucus Names without electorates are list MPs Marama Davidson Chlöe Swarbrick (Auckland Central) Julie Anne Genter (Rongotai) Teanau Tuiono Lan Pham Ricardo Menéndez March Steve Abel Hūhana Lyndon Scott Willis Kahurangi Carter Celia Wade-Brown Lawrence Xu-Nan Francisco Hernandez Mike Davidson Tamatha Paul (Wellington Central) Former parliamentarians Sue Bradford Steffan Browning Phillida Bunkle David Clendon Barry Coates Efeso Collins Catherine Delahunty Rod Donald Benjamin Doyle Ian Ewen-Street Jeanette Fitzsimons Golriz Ghahraman Kennedy Graham Kevin Hague Gareth Hughes Sue Kedgley Elizabeth Kerekere Keith Locke Jan Logie Mojo Mathers Russel Norman Denise Roche Eugenie Sage James Shaw Darleen Tana Nándor Tánczos Metiria Turei Holly Walker Mike Ward Co-leadership elections 1995 2006 2009 2015 2018 2021 2022 2024 Related organisations Values Party Alliance Young Greens of Aotearoa New Zealand Governments Fifth Labour Sixth Labour Legislation Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act New Zealand environmental law Related articles Environmental movement in New Zealand Teal Deal

v t e New Zealand Alliance Party Party Leaders Jim Anderton (1991–94) Sandra Lee (1994–95) Jim Anderton (1995–2002) Laila Harré (2002–03) Matt McCarten (2003–04) Jill Ovens / Paul Piesse (2005–06) Len Richards / Paul Piesse (2006) Victor Billot (2006–07) Victor Billot / Kay Murray (2007–08) Andrew McKenzie / Kay Murray (2008–12) Kay Murray / Kevin Campbell (2012–15) Victor Billot (2026–present) Former Parliamentarians Jim Anderton Gilbert Myles Hamish MacIntyre Sandra Lee Phillida Bunkle Pam Corkery Rod Donald Jeanette Fitzsimons Grant Gillon Liz Gordon Frank Grover Laila Harré Alamein Kopu Matt Robson John Wright Kevin Campbell Willie Jackson Component Parties Democrats (1991–2002) Greens (1991–97) Liberals (1992–98) Mana Motuhake (1991–2002) NewLabour (1991–2000) Related articles Progressives City Vision Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand

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