The Helen Clark Foundation () is a New Zealand-based independent,

non-partisan Nonpartisanship, also known as nonpartisanism, is a lack of affiliation with a political party and a lack of political bias. While an ''Oxford English Dictionary'' definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., ...

public policy Public policy is an institutionalized proposal or a Group decision-making, decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to Problem solving, solve or address relevant and problematic social issues, guided by a conceptio ...

think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...

hosted by

Auckland University of Technology Auckland University of Technology ( AUT; ) is a university in New Zealand, formed on 1 January 2000 when a former technical college (originally established in 1895) was granted university status. AUT is New Zealand's third largest university i ...

Formation

The foundation was formed in 2019 and is named after Helen Clark, the 37th prime minister of New Zealand and former administrator of the

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes on developing local capacity towar ...

who serves as patron. Its mission is to create public policy research which promotes the values demonstrated by

Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008 and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...

across her lengthy public career: inclusion, fairness, and sustainability. The founding executive director was Katherine (Kathy) Errington, a former diplomat. Its board currently includes Professor Peter Davis (Chair), Dr

Hinemoa Elder Hinemoa Elder (born 1966) is a New Zealand youth forensic psychiatrist and former television presenter. She is a professor in indigenous research at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College o ...

, Dr Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni,

Rajen Prasad Rajen Prasad (born 1947) is a New Zealand academic and politician. He was a Member of the House of Representatives for the Labour Party from 2008 to 2014. Early life and education Prasad was born in Suva, Fiji in 1947 and is of Indo-Fijian d ...

QSO, Helen Klisser During, Simon Mitchell and Geoff Pownall. Former board members include Dame

Cindy Kiro Dame Alcyion Cynthia Kiro () ( Simpson; born 1958) is a New Zealand public-health academic, administrator, and advocate, who has been serving as the 22nd governor-general of New Zealand since 21 October 2021. Kiro is the first Māori people, M ...

and Joan Caulfield.

Initiatives

Research reports

The foundation publishes research reports about a range of important public policy issues in New Zealand on its website. Previous reports have covered issues including climate change and decarbonisation, democracy, drug policy, sustainable cities, housing, and a series examining policy challenges emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Projects

The foundation researched alcohol harm in 2021 in collaboration with Health Coalition Aotearoa. These unique data sets and subsequent media coverage are collated on the foundation's website. It supports drug law reform, promoting a harm minimisation approach to drug use that adopts a health-based rather than criminal justice framework. In September 2019, the foundation issued a report analysing the impact of the current laws around

cannabis in New Zealand The use of cannabis in New Zealand is regulated by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, which makes unauthorised possession of any amount of cannabis a crime. Cannabis is the fourth-most widely used recreational drug in New Zealand, after caffeine, a ...

and supporting a legal regulatory framework for the possession and sale of cannabis. In September 2022, the foundation released a report in partnership with the New Zealand Drug Foundation that reviewed the use of

methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug use, recreational or Performance-enhancing substance, performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a secon ...

in New Zealand, including the illicit market, use patterns, the regulatory environment and the harms caused. This report recommended a range of approaches to minimise the harms from methamphetamine by addressing both supply and demand, including the removal of criminal penalties for possession of small quantities, the expansion of the Te Ara Oranga programm

as well as other improved treatment and rehabilitation options.

References

External links

* 2019 establishments in New Zealand Drug policy reform Drugs in New Zealand Organizations established in 2019 Foundations based in New Zealand Think tanks based in New Zealand Helen Clark {{NewZealand-poli-stub