Clark Helen: Motions — Rt Hon Helen Clark—Appointment as Head of United Nations  Development Programme 
Clark Helen: Motions — Rt Hon Helen Clark—Appointment as Head of United Nations  Development Programme 
[Volume:653;Page:2277] 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Labour—Mt Albert) 
: 
 I thank all the leaders who have spoken today for their very generous comments and also the House for the vote in support of the Prime Minister’s motion. 
It has been possible to mount a successful campaign for this position only because of very widespread support across political boundaries and that started at home. It has been the tradition that candidacies of this kind—and others have mentioned those of the Rt Hon Don McKinnon and the Rt Hon Mike Moore—are handed in a bipartisan way. I want to thank John Key for his early upfront and enthusiastic support. I know John that you picked up the phone and that you worked the international meetings you have been at and that has been very greatly appreciated. Provided that you do not change your cellphone number you will still be getting texts from me from time to time. 
The New Zealand Labour Party of course has given me its total goodwill on this. After many years of service I guess we are joined at the hip and that will always be the case. 
I want to particularly thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the incredible support it gave me with the Prime Minister’s full blessing. It emanated out from head office in Wellington to posts around the world but particularly in New York where our Permanent Representative to the United Nations Rosemary Banks led her team in an incredible astute and effective lobbying effort. 
Many other Governments were supportive. The Pacific family strongly endorsed the candidacy from the time that our Prime Minister raised it at the Pacific Island Forum leaders’ meeting in Port Moresby. Kevin Rudd was particularly supportive as was the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other old friends like the United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Prime Minister of Norway Mr Stoltenberg were early out of the blocks but there were many many others too numerous to mention. 
All who have spoken today have referred to the huge task ahead. Here in New Zealand we feel the effects of recession we feel the effects of erratic climate and we feel the effects of high food prices high fuel prices and water issues. How much more then do those who live in the poorest countries on Earth feel these pressures? They feel them tremendously and particularly at this time of recession. Things are pretty desperate for many of the world’s people and those are the issues to deal with immediately. 
In the wider context I am very grateful for the many leadership opportunities that New Zealand has given me. They have enabled me to be a credible contender for this position. I could not have done that if I had not had the opportunities that this small country has made available. 
In the relatively near future I will give my valedictory speech to Parliament. I am told that the convention is that for former Prime Ministers there is no limit on time. Of course judgment will be exercised on that as it is by me on all things. Other comments can wait until that time. For now I thank everyone who has spoken for the kind words they have said and that will be something special for me to take with me to New York. Kia ora. 
[ 
Applause 
]