Helene Ritchie

Party: Independent
Standing for: Capital and Coast District Health Board; Wellington City Council - Northern Ward

Party: Independent
Standing for: Capital and Coast District Health Board; Wellington City Council - Northern Ward
Video: No videos
Commercial Activities: Private Professional Practice
Family Business
Conflicts of Interest: Nil disclosed
Marital Status: Single. My partner Peter died in 2001
Children: Tim, a Doctor
Jonty, an ardent mountain biker
Links: http://heleneritchie.org.nz/

Capital & Coast District Health Board

EXPERIENCE COUNTS! Wellington’s first woman deputy mayor; former Labour Leader; registered psychologist, business woman, Health Board member, and the longest serving councillor in the Capital, brings extensive governance, civic, professional, and business, experience to the Board.
EFFECTIVE. “I’ve fought successfully for approval of Ward 27’s (mental health) long overdue renovation; and worked to improve home/community support; mental health; cancer; child; elderly; disability; dementia services.
PRIORITIES. I’m outspoken on the Board for the “ordinary” person from Kapiti to Porirua to Wellington and for quality accessible health/hospital services; responsible financing and practice. Personal and family experience of system gaps in at least 10 key areas motivates me to improve some parts for others. I remain impressed with the dedication of the doctors and nurses.”
SAVE SERVICES. We’ll need Board stability and members with guts, and experience, to save services.”
WITH YOUR VOTE, I WILL CONTINUE WORK BEGUN.”
VOTE RITCHIE 1. AGAIN.

Northern Ward

EXPERIENCE COUNTS! Helene RITCHIE, our first woman deputy mayor is the longest serving Councillor. Elected from Northern-playcentre mother aged 32, psychologist, Helene later initiated Moa Point cleanwater campaign; Wellington’s declaration as a nuclear weapon free zone; and the Capital’s world class civic heart. She brings extensive civic and governance experience to Council.
EFFECTIVE. Helene works effectively with colleagues and community. She initiated the new Johnsonville library co-located with swimming pool improvements; long advocated the new Newlands Community Centre and Mark Avenue extension; supported Johnsonville Mall, Newlands town plan, Churton community worker, Tawa-Johnsonville walk/cycleway; protection of 61 green space reserves.
She acted to ensure thousands of children learn swimming; protected the Waterfront; promoted transport; opposed water privatisation.
PRIORITIES. Trees; transport; Tawa-Johnsonville Skyline walkway; Tawa Mall improvements; Churton community facilities, Newlands Town Centre; Northern’s Civic Heart in Johnsonville.
WITH YOUR VOTE WE’LL CONTINUE REVERSING THE NEGLECT OF NORTHERN.
VOTE RITCHIE 1. AGAIN.

Top 5 Issues

CAPITAL AND COAST DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

SAVING SERVICES-HEALTH

“The health of a people is crucial to the health of a City”.

“ I’m outspoken on the Board for
• the “ordinary” person from Kapiti to Porirua to Wellingon and
• for quality accessible health/hospital services
• for those most vulnerable

NORTHERN

REVERSING THE NEGLECT OF NORTHERN

TOP PRIORITY: A CIVIC HEART FOR NORTHERN-J’VIILE
Make it happen!

Helene led Wellington’s world class Civic Centre project. She knows how to make it happen
CAPITAL AND COAST DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

EXPERIENCE COUNTS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN

Wellington’s first woman deputy mayor; former Labour Leader; registered psychologist, business woman, Health Board member, and the longest serving councillor in the Capital, brings extensive governance, civic, professional, and business, experience to the Board.
She knows how to make things happen! Vote Helene Ritchie 1 again.

NORTHERN

EXPERIENCE COUNTS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN

Helene RITCHIE, our first woman deputy mayor is our longest serving City Councillor. Helene was elected from Northern as a Johnsonville playcentre mother aged 32, and psychologist. She brings extensive civic and governance experience and
professional experience to the Board and to Council.
CAPITAL AND COAST DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

BOARD STABILITY-SOUND GOVERNANCE

We’ll need Board stability, continuity, members with guts, and experience, to fight to save services and to meet the challenges ahead with responsible financing, governance and practice.

NORTHERN

BEING EFFECTIVE.

Helene knows how to be effective in elected governance, working with colleagues, staff and community to make a difference.

Her focus has been Northern. Over the last three years, she has been successful in:

• Initiating the new Johnsonville library to be co-located with the Johnsonville swimming pool improvements starting next year.

WORKING SUCCESSFULLY FOR NORTHERN’S PRIORITIES

• The Newlands Community Centre and Grenada Village Mark Avenue extension, both opened.
• A new Johnsonville Mall (developer funded)
• Newlands town plan
• Churton community facilities and worker
• Tawa-Johnsonville walk/cycleway
• Helene’s long environmental credentials and enthusiasm have seen her promote in Northern the Skyline/Outer Town Belt walkway, and protection of the Old Coach Road and surrounding area and strong support for the protection and classification of 61 green spaces- reserves, sports grounds in Northern and the Outer Town Belt

“I congratulate the wonderful planting groups in Churton, Glenside, Tawa, Newlands/Paparangi,
CAPITAL AND COAST DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

DOCTORS AND NURSES AND STAFF

I remain impressed with the dedication and professionalism of doctors and nurses and carers. We need to retain our workforce.

NORTHERN WARD

REVERSING THE NEGLECT; AND FOCUSING ON NORTHERN’S FUTURE

• Infrastructure- community, roading and public transport for Northern and J’Ville
• Actively supporting Newlands’ and Johnsonville Community centre-as the best in the country.
• Integrated comprehensive urban design plan and its implementation for Johnsonville-suburban centre and residential
• Trees
• Public Transport, pedestrian and cycleways and a Johnsonville transport hub
• Sound traffic management in and out of the Johnsonville Heart
• Alex Moore Park-Cricket Club Sports Hub
• Tawa-Johnsonville Skyline walkway;
• Tawa Mall upgrade
• Churton community facilities
• Newlands Town Centre plan and implementation
• Glenside Halfway house
• Sustainable communities and community services infrastructure
CAPITAL AND COAST DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

SOME GAPS

I stood for the Board and was first elected in 2001, after the 4 year illness of my husband. Personal professional and family experience of system gaps in at least 10 key areas motivates me to improve some parts for others.

“I’ve fought hard and successfully for
• Ward 27’s (mental health) long overdue renovation; and
• worked to improve home help and community support;
• mental health including suicide prevention
• cancer;
• children and young persons
• elderly,
• disability,
• dementia services

With your vote, I’ll continue work begun.
Vote HELENE RITCHIE 1 again

NORTHERN

Experience counts to reverse the neglect of Northern and make things happen.
With your vote we’ll continue reversing the neglect of Northern.
Vote HELENE RITCHIE 1 again

Personal Profile

Have a look at my website for further information and pictures. It’s easy to follow! http://www.heleneritchie.org.nz

Conflicts of Interest

I have the current possible conflict of interest with the Capital and Coast District Health Board;
I am a Wellington City Councillor.

To the best of my knowledge and belief, I have no other conflicts of interest with the Capital and Coast
District Health Board (DHB) at the date of my notice of consent to being nominated as a candidate
for membership of the board of the DHB, and I do not believe that any such conflicts of interest are
likely to arise in the future.

Authorised by Helene Ritchie of 101 Wakefield St., Wellington

Questions answered by Helene Ritchie

Question

Helene Ritchie's Reply

Churton Park Progress - or lack thereof...

Dear Ken,

Thank you for your question.

I am sorry that you were promised a number of things by somebody. Perhaps you need to go back to whomever promised you.

There has been significant progress in the Northern Ward and Churton Park.

More needs to be done-that is why I am standing as a Candidate-to continue reversing the neglect of Northern.

You can access my website, http//heleneritchie.org.nz for some of the information you are seeking.

I reply now to the questions you raise:

1. NEW ROAD

Westchester Drive is now consented and you will get further access to the motorway

2. TOWN CENTRE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

The town centre is also consented. The community facilities there depend on the developer who in any discussion I have had with him is keen to proceed. Council itself has approved the plans.

Additional community facilities will be at the new school.

3. JOHNSONVILLE MALL

This is a private development and its progress depends on the finances of the company proposing it and the market.

Council has completed its responsibility in consenting it.

4. OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

There has been other significant progress in Churton and Northern.

i. A Principal has now been appointed for the new school, and in the Northern Ward,

ii. 61 reserves are going to be classified, including the Skyline walk and Outer Town Belt,

iii. There has been approval for a new library for Northern co-located with upgrades of Keith Spry Pool. I was pleased to be able to make sure that this happened by my action at Council to secure funds to make a start.

iv. We’ve just had the good news that NZTA has agreed to fund its share of our proposal to have a walk and cycleway along Porirua Stream to Tawa, and eventually to Johnsonville.

v. There are funds set aside for some community development-I had endeavoured to achieve more-some $32,000, but the Council pared that back for this year to $10,000.

I hope you agree that Churton with its infrastructure of roads, sewage, water reticulation, parks, new school, community facility planning, private and public gardens, places to play and walk in, is a pleasant place to live in and to bring up a family.

Again I suggest you look at my website for further relevant information regarding Northern: http://heleneritchie.org.nz

Please do not hesitate to email or phone me.

Kind regards

Helene Ritchie

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Paediatric Oncology services

Dear Katherine,

Thank you for your question.

As one who has had cancer, I do understand some of the emotional and other challenges ahead for you as you seek and have treatment for your child and the additional challenges that relate to having a child needing treatment.

I do appreciate that you are in a very challenging situation and I hope that the changes made, which were made in close consultation with the then parents will be helpful for you and will give you some certainty.

In response to your question, I quote from the report by staff to the Board tomorrow which answers your question,

REPORT TO THE BOARD MEETING 6 OCTOBER 2010

“ Paediatric Oncology

A new shared care agreement between Capital & Coast and Canterbury District Health Boards has been signed and ensures some of our most vulnerable patients and their families have certainty around their care and will keep many services in Wellington.

After several years of difficulty retaining Paediatric Oncologists in Wellington, the agreement was reached after months of hard work and dedication by the clinical teams and management in both Wellington and Christchurch.

The clinical expertise across both sites has led to the development of an agreement which means that most of the treatment for the majority of patients can be delivered in Wellington, reducing the need for travel.

To ensure patients receive top level care where they need to, there will continue to be a small number who may on occasion continue to travel to Christchurch for some diagnostic and treatment services.

A Paediatric Oncologist from Canterbury will be on site in Wellington full time until Christmas and will hold regular clinics after that. Meanwhile, Wellington will continue to have its own full time Paediatrician who has a specialist interest in Paediatric Oncology.”

Finally I do appreciate that this is not entirely what you (or we for that matter) would want to see. A number of us on the Board fought this issue three years ago, and I believe that the stand we took then has contributed to a better outcome than might have been the case.

Please do not hesitate to contact me by email-heleneritchie@clear.net.nz or phone. It is difficult to communicate indirectly through this site.

My website is http://heleneritchie.org.nz and my other contact details are there.

Kind regards

Helene Ritchie

Health Board Member Capital and Coast District Health Board.

Wellington City Councillor

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Condition of Ohariu Valley Road

Dear Elspeth

Thank you for your query.

I will take the matter up if/when I am elected and ascertain whether there is funding to correct the damage either from Wellington City Council, whoever did the fibre cabling or some other source.

I would appreciate it if you could email me directly so that I can take it up after the election.

Kind regards

Helene Ritchie

Councillor/Candidate

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