Free Republic

Poverty, conflict, refugees, pandemics and climate change have been highlighted by Helen Clark as major problems facing the United Nations. In a two-hour interview in New York for the role of Secretary-General, Ms Clark said the focus must shift from solving problems after they have arisen to helping to prevent them occurring.

UN and Oxfam caught bribing media to write crusading climate stories By Ian Wishart News journalists are being bribed by the United Nations and the Oxfam charity to write scare stories about climate change ahead of the global climate treaty negotiations in Paris later this year. Details of the bribes – which take the form of ego-boosting “awards”, global travel in CO2 generating airliners and financial payments – are contained in a news release just published by the UNDP today, an organisation headed by former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. Journalists’ codes of ethics prohibit being induced to give...

SYDNEY, Aug. 13 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Sections of New Zealand Parliament were evacuated Wednesday, following the discovery of an envelope containing unidentified white powder, local media reported. The envelope, addressed to Prime Minister Helen Clark's office, was opened by a staff member on the eighth floor, who subsequently raised the alarm, the New Zealand Press Association said. -snip-

New Zealand in flap over plans for new flag By Nick Squires in Sydney Last Updated: 1:56am BST 01/10/2007 Union flag or rugby ponga? New Zealand's prime minister, Helen Clark, has suggested removing the Union flag from her country's national flag. Ms Clark said that removing the British emblem would "New Zealandise" the flag, leaving it as a stylised Southern Cross on a blue background. New Zealanders have agonised for years over whether to change their national emblem, with some recoiling at the inclusion of the Union flag and wanting it replaced with a Maori-influenced design. The most favoured alternative...

The Prime Minister has spoken out about the Mohammad cartoon controversy, saying she does not think it is a freedom of the press issue. Helen Clark says the New Zealand press is free, and politicians do not dictate what it can and cannot print. She says it is a question of judgement. She does not think the publication of the cartoons does anything to bring communities together in New Zealand or around the world. Helen Clark says the New Zealand government's position is very strongly in favour of respecting all religions and working to bring communities together, not drive them...

WHAT do George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac, Angela Merkel and Helen Clark have in common? They have been having such a difficult time lately that they are widely written off as lame-duck political leaders. Bush's approval rating is at a record low following his inept handling of the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. A spy scandal engulfs his administration; his nominee for the Supreme Court quits; and Republican party candidates were beaten in the two governors' races contested last week. Meanwhile, a war rages that America may or may not be winning. Blair had already announced he would resign...

The Government was not given advance notice of the announcement about a possible terrorist threat to Australia, a spokesman for Prime Minister Helen Clark said last night. "We heard through news reports that John Howard had made the statement," the spokesman told NZPA. "At that point New Zealand officials contacted their Australian counterparts." Mr Howard said in his announcement in Canberra that Australia had received "specific information" which raised serious concerns about a potential terrorist threat. "I don't want to over-alarm people. I have said for a long time the possibility of an attack is there," he said. Miss Clark...

WINSTON Peters - an outspoken, anti-immigration protectionist who promotes racial profiling of Muslims - will become the public face of New Zealand on the world stage. New Zealand's wild election ride came to an extraordinary finish last night as Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark cobbled together a bizarre minority government with Mr Peters as Foreign Minister. Mr Peters, a Maori who is the leader of the New Zealand First party, is the country's most controversial politician. He has called for immigration to be radically slashed, said the country was being "colonised" by Asians, and proposed that Muslims be racially profiled...

The controversial appointment of New Zealand's new foreign minister has been criticised both at home and abroad. Winston Peters, head of the New Zealand First Party, has been appointed to the position despite making a series of outspoken comments against immigration. Opposition National Party leader Don Brash said the decision to give the job to Mr Peters would do "huge damage for our international reputation". The Australian newspaper described the appointment as a "bad joke". Sydney's Daily Telegraph described Mr Peters as a "diplomatic nightmare", and other commentators said that by choosing Mr Peters as the foreign affairs minister, New...

NEW Zealand's caretaker Prime Minister Helen Clark returned to the capital Wellington today for negotiations with minor parties to form a government after the weekend's stalemate election result. The nation faces two weeks of political limbo before more than 200,000 special votes are counted but Ms Clark said she wants to put arrangements in place so a government can be formed quickly after full results emerge on October 1. Ms Clark, who has been Prime Minister since 1999, said she would hold "exploratory talks" with the minor parties, but this would be followed by a quiet period leading up to...

A summary of all party votes, electorate votes and advance votes are available on www.electionresults.govt.nz.

New Zealand's voting booths closed one and three quarter hours ago and with 25% of the votes counted it looks like Helen Clark won't have a third term as Prime Minister.New Zealand looks like it will be lead by Don Brash's National Party, in coalition with United Future and possibly ACT.

Thought I would start a thread on the New Zealand general election - returns starting to come in now. Non-NZ FReepers can try the live streams of Channel One News, http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_minisite_index_skin/news_election_2005_group or 3 News, http://www.tv3.co.nz/listings/index.cfm

Wellington - An Air New Zealand pilot was grounded on Thursday after telling his passengers that Prime Minister Helen Clark was to blame for delaying their take-off from Wellington. The pilot, who was not named, said over the plane's public address system that Clark's bag was being removed because she was transferring to a charter flight and added: "So much for supporting the national airline, eh?" But he was misinformed, and Clark was not amused when she boarded the plane and was told of his comments by cabinet minister Trevor Mallard, especially upon learning that opposition leader Don Brash, her...

BRISBANE, Australia, July 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A university professor who has lived and worked overseas for 20 years, while on a return visit to Canada, described the Canadian misconception that the Conservative Party is “too right wing” as “disorienting,” when he compares the party to other conservative parties such as those in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and the US. “It was disorienting to return to Canada and to be met, continually, with this total lack of global perspective,” James Allan wrote in his op-ed, “It's time for a global perspective,” that appeared in Monday’s National Post. Allan explained...

New Zealand's PM sets poll date New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has announced that the country will hold general elections on 17 September. Ms Clark is seeking a third successive three-year term for her Labour-led administration. Two months of campaigning are expected to focus on the economy, New Zealand's relations with Washington, and the country's 20-year non-nuclear policy. Recent opinion polls have put the main opposition National Party slightly ahead of the ruling party. Ms Clark called the elections just a week before she was obliged to set a date. Analysts say she was buying time in an attempt...

Another satire about New Zealand. Before we start, let me say a few words about what this satire is all about. The leftist Labour Party is currently in power in New Zealand. It touts itself as a party providing responsible governance to the country, but the reality is very different. Helen Clark, the Leader of Labour and Prime Minister, defamed Police Commissioner Peter Doone with fabricated leaks back in 2000 because she was interested to install a political puppet in his position. ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1401391/posts ) Jonathan Hunt, the former Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament and now High Commissioner to...

Parliament resumes today, with Prime Minister Helen Clark set to fire her opening shots of this year's election campaign. Miss Clark told journalists yesterday her opening statement to Parliament would be a broad-brush affair setting out Labour's long-term programme on improving economic performance, health, education and infrastructure. "It is a big picture speech and it's looking well out at the issues that we need to tackle in government and clearly these are not things you are going to complete by September this year," Miss Clark said. The speech would cover productivity, work participation, training, savings and other "big issues that...