Go Helen!

Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, April 5th, 2016 - 65 comments
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Great news that Helen Clark is putting her name forward for the very important post of Secretary-General of the United Nations. She has been a courageous champion for peace – perhaps the most important priority for the world today.

Great that she gave her first interview to Kathryn Ryan today – she sets out why she would definitely be the best person for the job – she goes for it with all our support.

65 comments on “Go Helen! ”

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  1. Nicola 1
    5 April 2016 at 10:33 am

    But what will the hundreds of thousands spent campaigning for Clark do for child poverty?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1
      5 April 2016 at 11:52 am

      Indicate that you can’t imagine how we could do both at the same time?

      Inform us that you are good at concocting false dichotomies?

      What?

  2. Lanthanide 2
    5 April 2016 at 10:43 am

    If she wins this, then she’ll be odds-on favourite to be NZ’s first president, assuming we switch to a republic sometime during the 2020’s.

  3. ianmac 3
    5 April 2016 at 10:51 am

    Congratulations Helen.

    But the way that the Key mind works will be thus.
    1. Helen will get the top job.
    2. I am much better than Helen.
    3. Therefore I will be the next Gen Sec after Helen.

    • Richard McGrath 3.1
      6 April 2016 at 2:05 pm

      I’m not sure Key’s mind works that way. Perhaps if Clark gets that job – thus continuing to avoid 100% of any income tax – it may become easier for Key to wheel and deal in the private sector.

  4. Ad 4
    5 April 2016 at 10:57 am

    Tough road against the UNESCO woman and the Eastern European preference.

    Presumably her decision to run means she has the US on board, can overcome Russian-vote alliance with Iran, Middle Eastern, and Indian subcontinent states, and can see a clear path to success.

    The effective appointment veto of the permanent members of the UN Security Council will be very difficult to overcome if Russia holds fast to their candidate.

    I wish her all the best – she would be fantastic.

  5. Westiechick 5
    5 April 2016 at 11:24 am

    She is frighteningly competent and principled and would be great.
    Ironic how Key thinks she would be good at running the world but thought she needed to go as PM because of …eco-lightbulbs? So much better here now. Not.

    • International Rescue 5.1
      5 April 2016 at 1:22 pm

      Actually Key is showing a mature diplomacy in the interests of NZ that is beyond anything Andrew Little could achieve.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1
        5 April 2016 at 6:43 pm

        How would you know?

        • International Rescue 5.1.1.1
          7 April 2016 at 12:22 am

          Easy. Little opposes everything. He is so blinkered he has utterly discredited himself in his opposition to the most significant trade agreement in decades. And for no other reason that to oppose. Oppose. Oppose.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1.1.1
            7 April 2016 at 6:54 am

            Ah, delusions then. As I said, you have less than zero clue.

            It’s pathetic, really: anyone (apart from you, apparently) can find his actual statements on the matter.

            • International Rescue 5.1.1.1.1.1
              7 April 2016 at 1:23 pm

              Not delusions, reality. Labour has been pro trade agreements for decades, and suddenly Little decides he wants to turn NZ into North Korea.

              • McFlock …
                7 April 2016 at 1:30 pm

                suddenly Little decides he wants to turn NZ into North Korea.

                Yep, that sounds like a totally reasonable interpretation, not hyperbolic at all. /sarc

                • International Rescue …
                  7 April 2016 at 8:58 pm

                  That’s correct. Little is anti-trade. He is anti free market. He is anti the US. He is anti most things that actually work in the real world. But then what can anyone expect from someone who’s never actually had a real job?

          • lprent 5.1.1.1.2
            7 April 2016 at 8:31 am

            I think that you are ignoring that the deal is absolute crap for NZ.

            It damn near immediately increase costs for exporting manufacturers, sellers of intellectual property, and their employees. Similarly it will rapidly increase costs for importers and their customers. The compliance costs are going to be enormous for the majority of exporters and urbanites.

            The only thing that it helps with possibly in another 10-25 years is to promise some minor reductions in commodity products with little intellectual property content, that everyone else can produce as market access and/or prices improve. This helps a teeny proportion of the countries population – most those few who own large amounts of .

            I suppose that it is good at identifying the terminally stupid parrots with intellectual disabilities – like you for instance.

    • saveNZ 5.2
      5 April 2016 at 2:51 pm

      Clark would never allow NZ to be run as a foreign money laundering offshore trust like Key.

      Good luck to her.

      • International Rescue 5.2.1
        7 April 2016 at 1:37 pm

        The current law was put in place by Labour, under Helen Clark.

        • pat 5.2.1.1
          7 April 2016 at 8:42 pm

          no, the current rules around non resident trusts were implemented by National in 2011

          • International Rescue 5.2.1.1.1
            7 April 2016 at 8:52 pm

            No, the current trust laws date back to Labour…the 2011 law made moderate improvements, that is all.

            • pat 5.2.1.1.1.1
              7 April 2016 at 9:04 pm

              lol..yes moderate improvements that increased the number of non resident trusts more than 3 fold in as many years and were promoted by law firms as making “NZ now an attractive tax location” whereas previously it “did not treat non-resident investors well”….youre a comedian arnt you?

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                7 April 2016 at 9:26 pm

                Some interesting admissions…

                a Government appointed task force, the International Financial Services Development Group, pointed out that if New Zealand can make itself attractive as a residence location for foreign funds..,

                The IFSDG also produced some interesting material:

                Tax-exempt treatment of funds is seen as important driver of where 
                to domicile funds…

                International Rescue will be here soon to deny reality, and Chapmann Tripp let the cat out of the bag.

              • International Rescue …
                10 April 2016 at 10:10 pm

                1. Did Labour’s law prohibit said trusts?
                2. Can you name a single example of a foreign entity avoiding NZ tax as a result of these trusts?

                • pat …
                  11 April 2016 at 8:40 am

                  !. Did National enhance the ability of dodgy foreigners to operate said trusts?
                  2. Can you name a single example of a foreign entity that has a legitimate use for one of them AND has used it exclusively for that legitimate purpose?

  6. Anne 6
    5 April 2016 at 11:30 am

    Might I repeat my comment on Open Mike:

    Having had the good fortune to witness Helen growing in stature from the time she was a young university student to the present day, I can say none of it was accidental. An extraordinary ability to work hard, total dedication to a cause, and a sparkling clarity of vision and foresight has got her to this high point in her life. Add to that an equally extraordinary physical constitution and the United Nations will hopefully be the lucky recipient of a fantastic woman Secretary General.

    I wish her the very, very ,very best of luck with her nomination.

  7. slumbergod 7
    5 April 2016 at 12:33 pm

    She endorsed TPP and promoted neoliberal policies that helped trap people in poverty so she doesn’t get my best wishes.

    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 7.1
      5 April 2016 at 12:46 pm

      I will accept no-one other than Che Guevara for Secretary-General of the UN. No compromise.

      • adam 7.1.1
        5 April 2016 at 2:06 pm

        You do realise there is a big section of the left who is anti-authoritarian The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell?

        Just that Che was a bit of authoritarian, so I hope you ‘ant mixing us up 😉

    • Lanthanide 7.2
      5 April 2016 at 1:52 pm

      No, she said that if the TPPA was a good deal, we’d be stupid not to sign up.

      She made no comment as to whether it was a good deal or not.

      • b waghorn 7.2.1
        5 April 2016 at 3:12 pm

        You would think someone as clever as Clarke would be well aware that her comments on the tppa would snooker Little and labour, are you suggesting otherwise.

        • Lanthanide 7.2.1.1
          5 April 2016 at 5:47 pm

          Yes, I was quite surprised by what she said, given how easy it is to misconstrue it (as the media in fact did do, and Key repeated in Parliament).

          But that’s what she did actually say.

          • b waghorn 7.2.1.1.1
            5 April 2016 at 7:09 pm

            Key to Clarke ” you back my tppa deal”
            Clarke to key ” and you back my shot at the in job”

            • alwyn 7.2.1.1.1.1
              5 April 2016 at 7:19 pm

              For God’s sake, her name is CLARK, not CLARKE.
              Is everything else you say as foolish as not even knowing her name?

              • b waghorn …
                5 April 2016 at 7:41 pm

                It must be a tough world to live in if little errors upset you their chief.

      • Heather Grimwood 7.2.2
        5 April 2016 at 4:11 pm

        Spot on Lanthanide……the spin has unfortunately proliferated on this.

    • Leftie 7.3
      5 April 2016 at 10:46 pm

      No she didn’t Slumbergod, but John key most certainly endorsed TPP and promoted neoliberal policies that helped trap people in poverty.

  8. esoteric pineapples 8
    5 April 2016 at 12:41 pm

    The only down side is that if Helen Clark gets the position people overseas will continue to have the impression that New Zealand is a progressive, environmentally friendly, non-corrupt etc country, when in fact half the voting population prefer a Prime Minister who wants to destroy the unions, attack people on benefits, trash the environment, doesn’t give a toss about global warming etc et al

    • maui 8.1
      5 April 2016 at 10:18 pm

      I think people from overseas might go, oh the UN-SG is from New Zealand… Isn’t that the place that trashed it’s environmental record, has abysmal carbon emissions, is a hideout for the wealthy, riddled with corruption, and has that strange Prime Minister who would be more suited to leading an eastern European country?

  9. saveNZ 9
    5 April 2016 at 2:55 pm

    At least she had the balls to prosecute Mossad agents stealing NZ passports.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Israel–New_Zealand_passport_scandal

  10. Coreyhumm 10
    5 April 2016 at 5:59 pm

    Labour needs to stop worshiping this woman,In this Bernie Sanders world let’s reevaluate Clark, a tppa endorsing, neoliberal illegally spying, kick it down the road , user of xenophobic and antimaori sentiment when it suited her,worshiped at the alter of the reserve bank right wing leader who did nothing to fix infrastructure,housing,education or much of anything other than kicking the problems down the road for the next gen to deal with as has Key, also both clark and key better have answers re the tax haven fiasco which is a much bigger story than an establishment career politician seeking office. What’s with all the neoliberals from the 90s coming out of the woodwork?

    • Bill 10.1
      5 April 2016 at 10:01 pm

      – Hello?…Do you know what time it is?!
      – What? The US want to be allowed to sell nuclear technology to India? But, they’re not even signatories to….
      – Oh, I see.
      – But we’re the poster child of nuclear non-proliferation and….
      – They’re saying I can name my price, really?
      – Okay. (pause) How about head of the UN Development Programme? Put it on the table and let me know how it goes. Oh. And Phil? Pull it off and you get to be the next leader of the party, okay?

      • Leftie 10.1.1
        5 April 2016 at 11:03 pm

        Conspiracy theory alert. Fiction is not real, Bill.

        • Colonial Viper 10.1.1.1
          5 April 2016 at 11:19 pm

          You don’t get any of the top positions in the UN without US sign off.

          • Leftie 10.1.1.1.1
            6 April 2016 at 12:21 am

            @Colonial Viper. Helen Clark is highly respected, was a successful PM, has a good track record, and got the position on her own merits.

            • Colonial Viper 10.1.1.1.1.1
              6 April 2016 at 12:33 am

              “A good track record…on her own merits.” Geeezus, you have to be frakking kidding me. It’s a political appointment. And those things you mention may very well be supportive but they are in no way decisive.

              • Leftie …
                6 April 2016 at 1:17 am

                @Colonial Viper. You have kind of contradicted yourself by saying having a good track record and merits do matter, but then you say they don’t.
                No, I am not kidding you. Even though its a political appointment, in many respects its still decided on merits. The US don’t pull all the strings like they used to, other countries have veto rights, that NZ doesn’t have.

        • Bill 10.1.1.2
          6 April 2016 at 10:25 am

          Yes Leftie, fiction is not real. But it can sometimes approximate reality, reflect reality or expose reality.

          And, I’m sure you’ll agree, there was some kind of trade off in the mix when NZ dropped its veto so that India could be supplied with nuclear tech in spite of it not even being a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty.

          As to what that trade off was….all mere speculation.

          At the time, it was surmised that the trade off was for talks about free trade talks with the US. Maybe that was so. But it looks like a damned feeble trade and, yeah…too feeble to be taken seriously in my book.

          Anyway…

  11. Tanz 11
    5 April 2016 at 10:50 pm

    Russia is the likely winner. Will Key go to the UN too?

    • Colonial Viper 11.1
      5 April 2016 at 11:21 pm

      Key will go to a major investment bank, or a senior position in an organisation like the IMF or World Bank.

    • Leftie 11.2
      6 April 2016 at 12:29 am

      @Tanz

      I reckon Key will head back home to America and the Fed reserve, to enjoy all the bonuses and perks for a wrecking job well done.

      • Tanz 11.2.1
        6 April 2016 at 7:54 am

        I agree, Leftie. Key has no sense of wrong or right and he smugly actually thinks he is doing a great job!

      • saveNZ 11.2.2
        6 April 2016 at 7:56 am

        Hopefully Key will go to a Serco run jail as the money laundering and tax evasion international scandals continue and more international investigations are conducted. Iceland’s PM has already resigned.

        Lets face it, does anyone really believe Key increased our offshore trusts and slowed down international tax legislation, championed the dog of the deal TPP signed in a casino (which Trump, Clinton and Sanders all are against) but does not get to hide money himself?

        • saveNZ 11.2.2.1
          6 April 2016 at 9:12 am

          I hope the SIS are illegally allowed to spy on Key, and seize all his money too so he can’t defend himself aka Dotcom. Also make sure that the MSM and all the political parties claim publicly he is guilty and make sure the expert judge resigns so that someone else hears his case.

          He and the prominent NZer can share a cell having so much in common.

  12. Tanz 12
    6 April 2016 at 8:22 am

    He is looking tired and hagged lately. The lies and guilt catching up, maybe…but then again, he seems to regret nothing.