Helene Ritchie
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Helene Ruth Paula Ritchie (; born 16 March 1945) is a former local body politician, registered psychologist and mediator, and a board member from
Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
. As Wellington's longest serving City Councillor of over 30 years, she led the Labour team to a majority position on the council. Later, she was the first female deputy mayor and chaired the Wellington Airport Authority and its successor for eight years. Ritchie led the declaration of Wellington as a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, chaired Wellington's Civic Centre project from its concept plan to Council decision, and chaired a six-year project that led up to the Wellington Town Belt Act 2016 expanding it by 130 hectares. Ritchie represented the city council on boards of its subsidiaries, including museums and an airport. She was elected twice to the
Wellington Regional Council Wellington Regional Council, branded as Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), is the regional council overseeing the Wellington Region of New Zealand's lower North Island. It is responsible for Public transport in the Wellington Region, p ...
, and to the local district health board for 15 years.


Early life

Ritchie was born in Wellington to refugee parents who had fled the
Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
in
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, arriving in New Zealand in 1939 and 1940. She grew up in the state housing area of
Naenae Naenae (, occasionally spelled NaeNae) is a suburb of Lower Hutt, New Zealand. It lies on the eastern edge of the floodplain of the Hutt River, four kilometres from the Lower Hutt Central business district. A small tributary of the Hutt, the ...
. She attended
Hutt Valley High School Hutt Valley High School is a State school, state coeducational secondary school located in central Lower Hutt, New Zealand. A total of students from Years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 18) attend the school as of making the school one of the largest ...
and became head prefect. She studied psychology, education, languages and dispute resolution at
Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington (), also known by its shorter names "VUW" or "Vic", is a public university, public research university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of New Zealand Parliament, Parliament, and w ...
and Massey University of Palmerston North where she was awarded three postgraduate degrees:
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
,
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
with Honours, Bachelor of Educational Studies, and an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree, and two diplomas: a
Diploma of Education The Diploma of Education, often abbreviated to DipEd or GradDipEd, is a postgraduate qualification offered in many Commonwealth countries including Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Overview The diploma can build on th ...
and a Diploma of Business Studies (conflict and dispute resolution). Ritchie then worked as a secondary school teacher, later a university extension lecturer, an executive director of a trade union correspondence education service and in early childhood education. She undertook psychology training and was appointed as a psychologist in the Education Department in 1977 (initially assistant psychologist, then psychologist in 1978), focusing on children and families with special needs. She helped to develop an approach away from deficit diagnosing and labeling to identifying strengths and needs and enhancing them through a psycho-social and educational approach and developing individual educational plans ("IEPs"). She ensured funding and approval for alternative schooling for young people who otherwise no longer attended traditional secondary schools, and establishment of a new 'Work Experience Unit' within a secondary school for young persons who found traditional schooling too challenging. In 1966, she married Peter Deans Ritchie and had two children: Timothy in 1971 and Jonathan in 1972.


Political career


National politics

Ritchie came into politics in the 1970s through the women's movement and joined the Labour Party in 1976. She helped develop the Working Women's Charter, led by trade unionist and M.P.
Sonja Davies Sonja Margaret Loveday Davies (née Vile; 11 November 1923 – 12 June 2005) was a New Zealand trade unionist, peace campaigner, and Member of Parliament. On 6 February 1987, Davies was the third appointee to the Order of New Zealand."The ...
, and was a member of the Labour Women's Council. She later took on leadership roles in the local Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL).


Parliamentary Candidate

At a time when only four of 87 members of Parliament were women and only 13 women had ever served in Parliament, Ritchie was selected by Labour for the then safe National seat of Ohariu electorate in the
New Zealand House of Representatives The House of Representatives () is the Unicameral, sole chamber of the New Zealand Parliament. The House passes Law of New Zealand, laws, provides Ministers in the New Zealand Government, ministers to form the Cabinet of New Zealand, Cabinet, ...
in the
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
general election. She was unsuccessful and placed second behind National's
Hugh Templeton Hugh Campbell Templeton (born 24 March 1929) is a former New Zealand diplomat, politician and member of parliament for the National Party. Early life and family Templeton was born in Wyndham, Southland, in 1929. He was educated at Gore H ...
. She sought selection for the safe Labour seat of
Christchurch Central Christchurch Central is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate in the South Island city of Christchurch. The electorate was established for the 1946 election and, until 2011 had always been won by the Labour Party. Since 2008, the incumbent ...
in a 1979 by-election.
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, later briefly Prime Minister, was selected. She also stood for selection in a number of other safe Labour seats, including the Napier electorate in 1980 where she lost to
Geoff Braybrooke Geoffrey Bernard Braybrooke (4 April 1935 – 9 March 2013) was a New Zealand politician. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1981 to 2002, representing the Labour Party. He was notably one of the party's more socially con ...
, who held the seat until 2002. Ritchie had also attempted to gain the Labour nomination for the
Island Bay Island Bay is a coastal suburb of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, situated south of the city centre. Island Bay lies on the bay which shares its name, one of numerous small bays off Cook Strait and west of Lyall Bay. 500m offshore i ...
electorate in the lead up to the
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general election after
Frank O'Flynn Francis Duncan O'Flynn (24 October 1918 – 17 October 2003) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. Biography O'Flynn was born in Runanga in 1918. He was the son of Francis Edward O'Flynn and Margaret Helen Valentine Duncan. He r ...
announced his retirement, but the nomination ultimately went to
Elizabeth Tennet Elizabeth Patricia Tennet (born 1953) is a former New Zealand politician. Biography Early life Tennet was born in 1953 in Feilding. She was educated locally before studying at Massey and Victoria University. Before entering politics, she work ...
. Ritchie stated she was "knocked for six" after failing to win the Island Bay nomination. Soon after she stood for the Pencarrow electorate, but lost again, this time to trade unionist
Sonja Davies Sonja Margaret Loveday Davies (née Vile; 11 November 1923 – 12 June 2005) was a New Zealand trade unionist, peace campaigner, and Member of Parliament. On 6 February 1987, Davies was the third appointee to the Order of New Zealand."The ...
. Upon Braybrooke announcing his retirement in 2001, Ritchie was invited by the electorate chair to again seek the Napier seat, but lost out on the nomination to
Russell Fairbrother Elwin Russell Fairbrother is a lawyer and former New Zealand politician. He was a New Zealand Labour Party, Labour Party Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2008. Early years Fairbrother, who is commonly known by his middle name, was born into ...
.


Wellington City Councillor


First female Labour Leader Wellington City Council

Ritchie was first elected to the
Wellington City Council Wellington City Council is a Territorial authorities of New Zealand, territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the city of Wellington, the country's capital city and List of cities in New Zealand#City councils, third-largest city by popul ...
in 1977, serving for 12 years until resigning in 1989. She was elected concurrently to the first
Wellington Regional Council Wellington Regional Council, branded as Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), is the regional council overseeing the Wellington Region of New Zealand's lower North Island. It is responsible for Public transport in the Wellington Region, p ...
in 1980, from which she resigned in 1983. During those 12 years, she was voted in as Labour's first female leader from 1980 to 1986, and was selected as the Labour candidate for Mayor (the first woman) in 1983, finishing runner-up to Ian Lawrence. As Chair of the Airport Authority from 1980 for eight years and of all the Airport Authorities in New Zealand for five years, she defied Labour Minister Prebble's early attempt at privatisation of public assets. Ritchie saw this as a betrayal of Labour's fundamental policies, and as contrary to her reason for joining the Party. Along with many others, she left the Labour Party in 1989. (Prebble and Douglas later left the Labour Party to become leaders of the right wing
ACT Party ACT New Zealand (; ), also known as the ACT Party or simply ACT, is a right-wing, classical liberal, right-libertarian, and conservative political party in New Zealand. It is currently led by David Seymour, and is in coalition with the Nationa ...
, with
Roger Douglas Sir Roger Owen Douglas (born 5 December 1937) is a retired New Zealand politician, economist and accountant who served as a minister in two Labour governments. He is most recognised for his key involvement in New Zealand's radical economic rest ...
as founder.)
Jim Anderton James Patrick Anderton (born Byrne; 21 January 1938 – 7 January 2018) was a New Zealand politician who led a succession of Left-wing politics, left-wing parties after leaving the New Zealand Labour Party, Labour Party in 1989. Anderton's pol ...
M.P. (later deputy Prime Minister) resigned from the Party in April 1989, saying, "I did not leave the Party, the Party left me". and created the Alliance Party. Ritchie rejoined the Labour Party after a gap of few years, but still stood for election as an Independent. In 1986, Ritchie became Deputy Mayor to
Jim Belich Sir James Belich (25 July 1927 – 13 September 2015) was a New Zealand local politician. He was the mayor of Wellington from 1986 to 1992. Biography Early life and career Belich was born on 25 July 1927, of Croat descent, in Awanui, North ...
, the first woman to hold the position in the Capital. She was dumped by her Labour colleagues on the council in 1988 following a series of feuds with Labour councillors over policy. They advised the mayor they had lost confidence in her as deputy. According to Ritchie, no reason was ever given and she thought the episode was "very unfair and unjust". In October 1989, she stepped down as a councillor and stood for both the Mayoralty and Regional Council as an independent candidate. She placed second to Labour's Jim Belich, with 26% of the vote, and was elected to the Wellington Regional Council for a second term. Ritchie stood for Mayor for a third time in 1992 as an independent, finishing second with 17% of the vote, compared to the 33% gained by the Labour candidate and former Wellington Central MP
Fran Wilde Dame Frances Helen Wilde (née Kitching, born 11 November 1948) is a New Zealand politician, and former Wellington Labour member of parliament, Minister of Tourism and Mayor of Wellington. She was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Welling ...
. Ritchie stepped out of politics for six years to care for her terminally ill husband. She was re-elected in the Northern ward in 1998 and remained on the council for a further 18 years until 2016 when she resigned as a councillor to run for the mayoralty again.


Apartheid and racism

In 1981 Ritchie established a delegation of prominent persons throughout New Zealand and co-led that delegation with the first Ombudsman, Sir Guy Powles, to present a submission to the Governor General Sir David Beattie, disclaiming
apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English:  , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...
and seeking a stop to the 1981 Springbok Tour of New Zealand.


Declaration of Wellington as a nuclear weapon free zone

One of Ritchie's achievements was the declaration of Wellington as a nuclear weapon free zone in 1982. This declaration came at a time when a nuclear warship, the USS Truxton, was about to enter Wellington Harbour. Within one year, half of New Zealand was living in declared nuclear weapon free zones, and women were spurred on to increase their representation in local government. There was major political fallout too: Mayor
Michael Fowler Sir Edward Michael Coulson Fowler (19 December 1929 – 12 July 2022) was a New Zealand architect and author who served as mayor of Wellington from 1974 to 1983. Early life and family Fowler was born on 19 December 1929 in Marton, the son of ...
, aligned to the National Party, announced the day after the motion was passed that he would quit at the end of the term. Despite two of his own team crossing the floor, he lashed out in a ''Dominion'' article at Labour councillors, particularly attacking the Labour women - three of whom he had once called the "petticoat troika" and who were then in the majority of the Labour team. Reportedly he was also furious with his own two councillors Betty Campbell and David Bull, who had crossed the floor of the council to vote with the Labour councillors and ensure that the motion was passed and the Declaration made. Then on 14 June 1984, Prime Minister
Robert Muldoon Sir Robert David Muldoon (; 25 September 19215 August 1992) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 31st prime minister of New Zealand, from 1975 to 1984, while leader of the National Party. Departing from National Party convention, Mu ...
, furious that one of his members (
Marilyn Waring Dame Marilyn Joy Waring (born 7 October 1952) is a New Zealand public policy scholar, international development consultant, former politician, environmentalist, feminist and a principal founder of feminist economics. In 1975, aged 23, she bec ...
) had crossed the floor and voted with the opposition to support the Bill banning nuclear ships, called a snap election which he then lost. A Labour Government and Prime Minister
David Lange David Russell Lange ( ; 4 August 1942 – 13 August 2005) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 32nd prime minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. A member of the New Zealand Labour Party, Lange was also the Minister of Education ...
were elected on the issue, and later successfully passed the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987.


Moa Point Campaign

Between 1984 and 1989 Ritchie spearheaded and led as a councillor the five year city-wide
Moa Point Moa Point is a small suburb in Wellington, New Zealand, situated on the south coast between Lyall Bay to the west and Tarakena Bay to the east. As of 2015 there were 21 households in the suburb. Toponymy The suburb got its name in 1926 when ...
campaign to build a sewage treatment plant. Council finally agreed in 1989, ensuring that the city adopted land-based treatment to stop raw sewage being discharged into the ocean.


Civic Centre

In 1986 Ritchie chaired the Civic Centre project, saying it would give Wellington a heart. Earlier, in 1982, Ritchie's motion stopped the demolition intention of the then mayor
Michael Fowler Sir Edward Michael Coulson Fowler (19 December 1929 – 12 July 2022) was a New Zealand architect and author who served as mayor of Wellington from 1974 to 1983. Early life and family Fowler was born on 19 December 1929 in Marton, the son of ...
, of the historic
Wellington Town Hall The Wellington Town Hall () is a concert hall and part of the municipal complex in Wellington, New Zealand, which opened in December 1904. It has been closed to the public since the 2013 Seddon earthquake for extensive strengthening work, and ...
. Strengthening and upgrade of the Town Hall became part of the Civic Centre project. In 1988, Council unanimously adopted a concept plan which included an integrated and innovative concept of eclectic and world class architecture, the protection of older buildings threatened with demolition – the former City Library and the Town Hall – and the construction of new buildings and an open Civic public square (formerly road), complete with the tall emblematic Nīkau palm structures designed by
Ian Athfield Sir Ian Charles Athfield (known as Ath) (15 July 1940 – 16 January 2015) was a New Zealand architect who designed distinctive and innovative houses that challenged suburban norms, as well as celebrated commercial, public and institutional pro ...
. This concept plan excluded the earlier 1986 proposal to build on what became Ilott Green.


Johnsonville Library and Pool upgrade

Ritchie focused and campaigned for years in her ward for a new library for Johnsonville alongside the upgraded pool and community centre as a cohesive community hub. The library was formally agreed by the council in the 2006 Johnsonville Town Centre Plan. In 2009, she secured council support for her motion to ensure the new library be built next door to the Keith Spry Pool. Between 2010 and 2013, council staff and a newly elected councillor again deferred the project and looked at a range of new locations. In 2011, four potential sites were consulted and the Northern Ward public and council again agreed for the site to be co-located with the Keith Spry Pool. In February 2014, She secured funding approval from the council. Planning started then, construction began in 2016, and the community hub was planned to be opened in 2019.


Press Council Ritchie versus the Dominion Post

In 2007 the Press Council upheld a complaint on the grounds of inaccuracy about two articles in the '' Dominion Post'' - as well as a third - that reported on Wellington City councillor Helene Ritchie's attendance record and remuneration while on sick leave for breast cancer. This had followed an earlier attempt by four male councillors to block (by walking out of the vote) her request for sick leave.


Wellington Waterfront

Ritchie also focused on open and recreational space on the waterfront, personally and successfully submitting to the Environment Court, alongside Waterfront Watch led by Pauline Swann, to ensure open public space instead of a
Hilton Hotel Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton Worldwide. The original company was founded by Conrad Hi ...
colonising a large part of the Waterfront for private gain and use. The Court in its decision said: “''Mr McClelland and Mrs Ritchie. We felt in many ways their use and appreciation of the wharf as a safe and relatively vehicle free space reflected that of the Wellington public who use the waterfront and promenade.''”. “Wellington City Councillor Helene Ritchie who was one of the appellants said the decision vindicated her stand against the project. Mrs Ritchie said the decision showed the City Council needed to “get real” about the Waterfront and acknowledge public concern about how it was being developed.”


Supercity proposal 2009–2016

She initiated opposition, and repeatedly over six years. Ultimately successful along with others, stopping the proposal that Wellington follow
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
and become a “Super City”.


Health Board and Mental Health

Her focus as a Health Board member was primarily on improving mental health services establishing and heading a mental health subcommittee, and on attempting to lower the rate of suicides and on the provision of home and community support services. Eventually in 2010, after years’ long campaigns, she succeeded in to persuading the board members, Chief Executives and the chair, the Ministry of Health officials and Minister, to approve the necessary funding for a replacement and upgraded mental health recovery unit in the hospital. In 2016 Ritchie was in the media headlights after being caught parking her car (which had her name written on the bonnet and doors) over a pedestrian crossing in the carpark at Wellington Hospital. She later apologised for the incident and stated that as a section of the carpark was fenced off by construction workers, she was worried that she would be late for a meeting if she spent any longer searching for a space.


Wellington Town Belt and Wellington’s Natural Environment

Ritchie's last six years on the council were primarily devoted to improving the natural environment in Wellington in her role as Portfolio leader of the natural environment - extending the Outer Town Belt with the procuring of land and earlier protecting the Old Coach Road in the Northern Ward after many years and alongside much effort by local people. The 2016 Wellington Town Belt Act was developed by the Council committee, and consulted on with the Wellington public. Introduced by the local member of Parliament,
Grant Robertson Grant Murray Robertson (born 30 October 1971) is a retired New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party who served as the Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2023, as Minister of Foreign Affairs in November 2023, and as the 19th Deputy Pr ...
, it protected and enhanced the over 600 hectares of public green space around the inner city. In 2016, Ritchie resigned as a councillor but stood for the
mayoralty In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
. She gained 3.7% of the vote, placing her sixth of nine candidates. Ritchie then took a sabbatical to research, write and pursue other priorities.


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ritchie, Helene Ruth Paula 1945 births Living people New Zealand people of Czech descent 20th-century New Zealand women politicians 20th-century New Zealand politicians Victoria University of Wellington alumni People educated at Hutt Valley High School Deputy mayors of Wellington Wellington City Councillors Wellington regional councillors New Zealand Labour Party politicians Unsuccessful candidates in the 1978 New Zealand general election Capital and Coast District Health Board members