Heroes of New Zealand — Helen Clark
We live in an all-round wonderful place. From towering mountains to serene rivers winding through native bush, our country has astounding natural beauty and the communal spirit to match. Heroes of New Zealand aims to not only highlight those members of our communities who go underappreciated but also embody the attitude that makes New Zealand the greatest country in the world.
I know Helen Clark, you know Helen Clark, but do either of us really KNOW Helen Clark? Talk to anyone our age and you’ll get a “Oh yeah, I know who she is”, but press any further than that and all but the most die-hard labour supporters will falter. So let’s change that.
Helen Clark first attempted to enter politics at the local level, in an unsuccessful bid for the Piako seat in 1975. This was following her time studying politics at Auckland University, and a brief stint lecturing with the same department. This loss did not dissuade her however, and she was elected to parliament as the representative for Mount Albert in the 1981 general election, a seat which she continued to hold until leaving parliament in 2009. Clark slowly worked her way up the ranks of the Labour party, holding the offices of Minister of Housing, Health, and Conservation before eventually becoming deputy Prime Minister in 1989. She was then elected Prime Minister in 1999, running the country until 2008.
So why should you care about a politician who was first elected before half of us were born? Because Helen Clark has had more of an impact on your life than you think. Heard about child abuse? I have, and it’s still a prevalent problem in our society. Clark and her Labour government introduced the (for some reason) controversial “Anti-smacking law” which passed through parliament in 2007. This stopped parents from smacking their children, and removed an excuse for child beaters to get away with their crimes. She was also instrumental in the creation of Kiwisaver. Now I hate losing 3–9% of my paycheck as much as the next guy, but facilitating the creation of an employer matched pension investment scheme is good for the worker, and no matter how much money daddy makes, you never know when that trust fund is going to dry up.
Some people, of course, will disagree with what Clark did while in office. But it is hard to fault her for what she did afterwards. After moving on from being Prime Minister of our country, she spent two terms as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator, being the first woman to run the organisation. Although not officially stated it is commonly thought that the UNDP administrator, who holds the title of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, is the third highest ranking position in the United Nations. The UNDP promotes change and provides training, advice and grants to developing countries to help them modernise and provide a better life for their citizens. It also promotes the UN sustainable development goals (SDG), which were conceived and adopted by all UN nations during Clark’s term as UNDP administrator. This role suited Clark as it was an extension of her domestic policy, and allowed her to promote the caring kiwi mindset far beyond our borders, something which isn’t possible as Prime Minister.
After an unsuccessful bid for UN Secretary-General in 2016, losing to the current head Antonio Guterres, she left the UN in 2017. Now you might expect someone who had achieved everything Clark had to maybe take a day off, have a beer and enjoy a well deserved retirement, but not Helen. In 2019 she founded the Helen Clark Foundation, a non-partisan policy think-tank based in Auckland, with herself as the patron. The Helen Clark Foundation advocates for a more just, sustainable and peaceful society, ideals which Clark has been working towards her whole career. Their aims are to identify the problems facing our society and develop new solutions to them, publishing these findings in reports online and to the relevant authorities.
Why then should Helen Clark be considered a “Hero of New Zealand”? Let us ignore the policy she implemented while in office and her long running domestic political career, as I want to remain bi-partisan and her actions thereafter are just as impressive. Clark managed to become the third highest ranking official at the United Nations, helped lift millions out of poverty and improved the life of countless others. She embodies the kiwi spirit of helping others, and wasn’t satisfied with our small island nation, so she took on the world. She is a story of persistence and perseverance, even having lost the first election she ran in Clark continued to try, all while having to contest with the difficulties of being a woman in politics. No matter if you disagree with her party or politics, she has done immense amounts of good in the world and deserves to be recognized as such. So next time someone mentions Helen Clark, don’t just think of her face, think of her actions.
