Helen Duncan (politician)

Helen Patricia Duncan MNZM (7 November 1941 – 6 February 2007) was a New Zealand politician and a member of the Labour Party.

Helen Duncan

MNZM
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Labour party list
In office
1998 – 2005
Preceded byJill White
Personal details
Born1941
Greymouth, New Zealand[1]
Died6 February 2007(2007-02-06) (aged 65)[1]
NationalityNew Zealand
Political partyLabour Party
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
University of Canterbury
Christchurch Teachers' College[1]

Early years

Duncan was born in Greymouth on the West Coast, and attended the University of Canterbury, the University of Auckland, and Christchurch Teachers' College. She worked as a teacher in a number of different cities including Lower Hutt, Masterton and Auckland. She was involved with the New Zealand Educational Institute (Te Riu Roa) and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.

Member of Parliament
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
1998–1999 45th List 22 Labour
1999–2002 46th List 30 Labour
2002–2005 47th List 30 Labour

She first stood for Parliament in the 1996 election, unsuccessfully in the Auckland electorate of Epsom for the Labour Party.[2][3]

In 1998 Jill White, a Labour list MP, resigned from Parliament. As Duncan was the next-ranked person on the Labour Party list, she entered Parliament in White's place.

In the 1999 and the 2002 elections, Duncan remained in Parliament as a list MP, also unsuccessfully contesting the North Shore electorate.

She left Parliament at the 2005 election after being diagnosed with cancer. She died on 6 February 2007.[1][4][5]

In the 2005 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Duncan was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for public services.[1][6]

References
  1. "Obituary: Helen Duncan". The New Zealand Herald. 10 February 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
  2. "Electorate Candidate and Party Votes Recorded at Each Polling Place – Epsom, 1996" (PDF). Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  3. "Part III – Party Lists of Successful Registered Parties" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  4. "Former MP dies". The New Zealand Herald. 8 February 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  5. Death of Helen Duncan Archived 5 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Queen's Birthday honours list 2005". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
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