Clark tells women to kick door in

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark says women don’t just need to lean in to opportunities — they need to kick the door in and take them.

Speaking at an International Women’s Day breakfast in the Beehive yesterday, Clark said things had changed for the better since she was first elected in 1981, when there were only four women in Parliament.

“You name it, women have done it. Not yet regularly enough, but we have shown that you can crash through the glass ceilings in New Zealand.”

When asked by National Council of Women CEO Dr Gill Greer, Clark said her rural background had helped make her resilient and women had to cope with losing if they wanted to take a shot at success.

She had enjoyed wins and suffered losses during her time in Parliament and that was life, Clark said.

“I’ve actually had a very good life. I don’t sit around looking back thinking ‘ what if’.”

There was a perception people didn’t like tough women, but “you’ve got to be tough, you’ve got to be resilient to get out there and jostle your way in”, Clark said.

“Nobody, women or men, should expect anyone to roll out the red carpet for them and open the door, you must roll out your own carpet and kick the door in if you really want something.”

Giving a nod to the #MeToo movement, she said globally it had claimed some “spectacular scalps”.

Clark was yesterday made a lifetime member of women’s empowerment organisation Zonta, which hosted the breakfast. — Tess Nichol