Who is the Prime Minister of New Zealand?

Question

Who is the Prime Minister of New Zealand?

Answer 1

Helen Clark 1999-present

Answer 2

Helen Clark was elected Prime Minister of New Zealand on 27 November 1999. Her rise to the top of New Zealand politics is the culmination of almost thirty years of involvement with the Labour Party, and the latest chapter in a remarkable story which began in New Zealand's provincial, conservative heartland.

Helen Clark was born in 1950, in Hamilton, and spent her first twelve years on the family sheep and cattle farm to the west of the city. She is the oldest of four girls. Helen attended Te Pahu Primary School.

After five years of secondary schooling at Auckland's Epsom Girls' Grammar, where she was a boarder, Helen Clark entered the University of Auckland in 1968 to study politics. Later she lectured in political studies at the university.

It was during her time at university that Helen Clark's active involvement in politics began, sparked by issues such as the civil war in Vietnam, apartheid in South Africa, and nuclear testing in the South Pacific.

Helen Clark joined the Labour Party in 1971 and in 1975 stood for election to Parliament for the first time, in the safe National seat of Piako.

In 1981 Helen Clark was elected as MP for Mt Albert. Nineteen years later, she has earned the unofficial title of 'Mother of the House' - the longest serving woman member among current MPs.

With the election of the Fourth Labour government in the 'snap' election of July 1984, the political career of the future Prime Minister took off. Between 1984 and 1987 Helen Clark was chair of the foreign affairs and defence select committee, at a time when New Zealand declared itself nuclear free and generally pursued a more independent stance in its foreign policy.

In 1986 Helen Clark was awarded the annual Peace Prize of the Danish Peace Foundation for her work in promoting peace and disarmament.

In 1987, following the re-election of Labour, Helen Clark was elected to the Cabinet. Over the next three years she held a number of ministerial portfolios - conservation, housing, labour and health. From August 1989 until October 1990 she was Deputy Prime Minister.

As health minister Helen Clark sponsored the introduction of tobacco control legislation. This provided protection against smoking in workplaces and public places, and eliminated tobacco advertising and the sponsorship of sporting events by tobacco companies.

Helen Clark was elected Leader of the Labour Party in December 1993 and served as Leader of the Opposition until the general election in November 1999, when Labour was again elected to government. She won a second term at the 2002 general election.

Away from politics, Helen Clark is a keen concert goer and opera lover and an enthusiastic supporter of the arts in general.

By serving as Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage as well as Prime Minister, Helen Clark intends to give the arts in New Zealand a degree of prominence and support they have not previously enjoyed at the top political level.