Authorised by Helene Ritchie, 101 Wakefield Street, Wellington
Biography
Background |
Helene was born in Wellington, the daughter of refugees who escaped the Holocaust. Her early childhood was spent in Lower Hutt, first living amongst the underwear factory that her mother had in their rented flat in High Street where Boulcott Hospital now stands- opposite the boulder Memorial at the entrance to Military Road that commemorates the Maori Wars on Boulcott Farm there. Her father, a qualified Doctor of Laws from Charles University in Prague could not practise law in New Zealand. Unemployed, he eventually set up business as a watchmaker in another room of their flat. Later, her mother founded a pioneering and innovative health food company, built a bakery and made the first New Zealand European breads, pumpernickel, cottage cheeses and health foods which were then sold throughout the country for over 50 years.
The family went on to live in the State Housing area of Naenae and Helene became Head Prefect of Hutt Valley High School. She met Peter Ritchie when she was 18, married him three years later, and two days after her University Graduation. They were together for nearly 40 years until his early death. Peter was an Engineer, who with his father before him, contributed significantly to all major hydro electricity power projects in New Zealand. Helene studied for degrees and diplomas at Victoria and Massey Universities, where she also trained as a psychologist and mediator. Initially, for some years, she worked in all public sectors of education-early childhood, primary, secondary, University, a Ministry of Education senior policy analyst; and for a nationwide workplace correspondence education service where she was the executive organiser. Later she had her own private psychology and mediation practice and another successful business. When her children, Tim and Jonty were 4 and 5, Helene gained a scholarship to study fulltime and to qualify as a psychologist. She returned full time to the workforce as a psychologist in 1977, and was also that year, first elected City-wide as a City Councillor. For the first twelve years in civic and regional governance she retained her full time public sector position as a psychologist, as well and in order to fund her council work. Helene also has extensive governance experience, and has held all senior positions on Wellington City Council, including deputy mayor, Chair Property, staff, finance; Labour Leader, Chair Wellington Airport Authority and of all Airport Authorities in New Zealand; a Board member of Council owned trusts;Natural Environment portfolio leader; and a Health Board member today. |
Academic Qualifications |
M.A.; B.A. Honours; Dip. Ed.; B.Ed Studies; B.A.; Diploma Business Studies (Dispute Resolution)
Victoria and Massey Universities:
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Professional Qualifications |
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Professional Bodies |
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Her Life in Democratic Governance |
She was first elected a young Councillor from Northern, as a Johnsonville playcentre mother and psychologist.
She brings extensive civic and governance experience to Council. A Parliamentary candidate in Ohariu, she stood for selection to Parliament in safe seats at a time when there were only four women in Parliament. She came close to winning the mayoralty in the late 80’s. Helene was first elected in 1977 until 1989 when she stepped down, and stood for the Regional Council instead. She was first elected to the Regional Council from 1980-83 and again in 1989-92, after which she resigned to focus on her private psychology and mediation practice, and her other business interests, and then the 24/7 care of her husband, with early onset dementia. She stood again for Wellington City Council in 1998 and was elected. She remains today a City Councillor; as well as a Health Board Member since 2001. |
In Touch |
Helene has always been in touch with the “ordinary person” never “just” a Councillor. Throughout her life she’s had multiple concurrent work and life roles as a mother and later a 24/7 family carer, in professional roles sometimes as a full time psychologist in public (education) to financially support her work as a councillor - while holding the Labour leadership role on the Council; chairing the Airport Authority for 8 years, and the New Zealand Organisation of all Airport Authorities for 5 years; being a founding regional councillor - all during the earlier years when Council work was not or very minimally paid and had to be supported with an additional income.
Later, while still working full time in her profession, she held the key positions on the Council of deputy mayor, Chair Airport Authority, Chair of the Civic Centre Project; and of the Resources Committee-comprising Finance, Staff and Property. |
Extensive Civic and Governance Experience |
Besides her Council and Health Board work, Helene has, since 1974, had additional experience in governance of boards, companies, trusts, city and regional councils, Council Controlled Organisations as Member, Chair and Member of performance monitoring committee of Council companies and trusts.
She has held governance roles in health, mental health, local government, regional government, transport, New Zealand Airports, Wellington Airport, Interim Airport Board, Education, the Arts, Municipal trading entities, recreation, environment, tourism, water, Council owned companies and trusts, and monitoring the latter. |
Author |
Helene has herself researched and written many reports, articles, statements for the media, speeches, contributed to books. She recently published her book about her experience as a 24/7 carer of her husband Peter who had early onset Lewy Body dementia; and a reprint of her monologue Wellington Nuclear Weapon Free Zone: Thirty Years which outlines the story around her initiative: The Declaration of Wellington as a nuclear weapon free zone which she achieved for the City.
Some of Helene’s writing work is in the Publications and Media sections of this website. |
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Base of Aconcagua, Andes.
Helene fought a battle against breast cancer and grief issues brought on by the death of her husband Peter. Today she is fit, strong and well. She loves the outdoors and natural environment. She's a strong skier and swimmer, does yoga, and walks and tramps with the Tararua Tramping Club or other friends or on her own. She enjoys classical and other forms of music, sings in the Wellington Community Choir and the Galeforce Gospel choir, was with a Trade Union women's choir - Choir Choir Pants on Fire.
She loves to sing, to laugh, to dance. |
Family |
Helene is the mother of two sons-Tim, an Emergency Department doctor in Dunedin and Jonty who has a mountain bike business (Revolution Bicycles in Ngaio), Wellington and who represented New Zealand in mountain bike racing overseas. Their partners are Sherrill, a P.E. teacher currently full time mother, and Tessa a yoga teacher.
They each have two children-Ira, Milly; Nuku and Pipiata. 
Helene with Sherrill, Tim and Miri.
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Our mokopuna are our future |
Helene's grandchildren.
“Our mokopuna are the future of this wonderful country Aoteroa/New Zealand and of our City-Te Whanganui a tara/Wellington.
It is about the children and future generations. It is about thinking global and acting local as we the kaitiaki-the stewards of the land, heed climate change and act to protect our environment and to ensure social justice for all people.” |
