Helen Smith (New Zealand politician)

Helen Mary Smith (25 May 1927 – 26 December 2007) was a Porirua, New Zealand city councillor from 1973 until 2001. First elected in a by-election in as a Values Party candidate, Smith stood as Values candidate for the Porirua electorate in the 1972, 1975 and 1978 elections, with majorities of 1051, 2176 and 2043; coming third each time and gaining the highest number of votes of any Values Party candidate in the country in 1978. Smith was also the runner-up in the 1977 mayoral election in Porirua

Smith was an activist in Porirua over several community issues. From 1980 to 2001, when she was narrowly defeated (leaving a gap on the council Smith was chairperson of the Community Development Committee, which saw her responsible for the library services in Porirua, widely considered to be excellent. She was also strong supporter for the Pataka Complex and an art gallery in Porirua. The Porirua City Council has named a room in the local Pataka Museum and a prize after her.

She lived in Titahi Bay with her husband Dr Allan Smith and had four children and numerous grandchildren.

External links

• http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22382043?search%5Bpath%5D=items&search%5Btext%5D=Helen+Smith+Porirua+Values+Party
  • http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23062058?search%5Bpath%5D=items&search%5Btext%5D=Helen+Smith+Porirua+Values+Party
• http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/kapi-mana-news/3910348/Pukerua-Bay-artist-seeks-seat-on-Porirua-council
• Helen Smith Family Award
• U.S. The Spokesman-Review, Sep. 9, 1973, "Helen Smith is the first elected representative of a new political party which sent shock-waves through both the established parties at New Zealand's general election, and which each of them would dearly love to assimilate before next time."
• two references to her from Index NZ; Evening Post 10 September 2001 p18 & Dominion Post 17 January 2008 pB7.
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