Helen Clark Quotes

People are optimistic about the future.

As New Zealanders, we've been in on the United Nations from the very beginning, played a role in the drafting of the charter - it means a lot to us that those processes are followed.

I think the issue of North Korea is one where the international community as a whole has to work to resolve the crisis.

Never look back. Move on. Aim high. Etc.

If the market is left to sort matters out, social injustice will be heightened and suffering in the community will grow with the neglect the market fosters.

Fortunately New Zealand doesn't have land borders so we are able to be somewhat more rigorous on who gets in and out of our country than perhaps some people.

We just sent our condolences to the President of the United States and the American people on what is a terrible, terrible tragedy.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries on earth. Security issue or no security issue, there would need to be a focus on it.

I felt really compromised. I think legal marriage is unnecessary and I would not have formalised the relationship [with husband Peter Davis] except for going into Parliament. I have always railed against it privately.

Economic growth which strips out the planet's ecosystems is not sustainable

If you neglect those who are currently poor and stable, you may create more poor and unstable people. There has been a tremendous concentration of donor interest in countries that are seen as particularly fragile - but it becomes harder to mobilise money for sub-Saharan, plain poor countries.

'Never look back' is my philosophy.

I think the penny has dropped that the All Blacks aren't automatically just going to be the best team in the world,

New Zealand's been pretty quiet on human rights issues, which we will be taking rather more interest in, and in international labor issues.

Well, we don't think for a moment that either the U.S. or Australia are out to damage the New Zealand economy, but if there were a sustained period in which they had a free-trade agreement and New Zealand didn't have that same arrangement with the States, that could be both trade- and investment-distorting.

It is a very small minority point of view and I think, through continuing to set the tone of tolerance, acceptance, and diversity, you just have to further marginalize such people. Hopefully one day nobody will think that way.

I've been round Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, and China in the last few months and the message that I've been taking is that New Zealand is building an up market dynamic into a connected economy. And that we are not the old-fashioned, ship mutton kind of product the people associate their export in work.

Well in the end the world can crank itself up to sanctions, as it has with Zimbabwe, another sad case.

Of course I have an opinion on many things but I don't micromanage.

Health and education are always issues.

There is also a marked global trend towards sustainable agriculture, building on traditional methods which use fewer chemical inputs, carefully manage soil and water resources, and work hand-in-hand with nature.

Marine protected areas, and particularly no-take zones, are very effective in allowing regeneration of fish stocks.

If ordinary means I have suddenly got to produce a household of kids and iron Peter's shirts, I'm sorry, I'm not interested.

I only take on roles that I'm passionate about. Life is too short to do things that you're not happy with.

Business can talk itself into a blue funk.

I think that generally New Zealand is respected for the positions it takes because it thinks them through.

We need innovation. We need great ideas that can be simply and effectively produced all over the place.

In the end, there will always be a fundamental difference of perspective between New Zealand and Australia on defense, whoever is in government.

New Zealand and SA should take this dimension into account, the skills South Africans are presently contributing to New Zealand.

Senator Obama will be taking office at a critical juncture. There are many pressing challenges facing the international community, including the global financial crisis and global warming. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Obama and his team to address these challenges.

We need a lot of thinking and ideas. We need all the innovators, particularly with the new sustainable technologies - how do we get them to affordability so that people can generate clean energy?

Grounded in international human rights, gender equality doesn't just improve the lives of individual women, girls, and their families; it makes economic sense, strengthens democracy, and enables long-term sustainable progress.

Girls can do anything. We do do anything and we expect to be treated as equals.

I deeply detest social distinction and snobbery, and in that lies my strong aversion to titular honours.

We don't want to deal with a separatist party.