5 Jul 2018

Helen Clark fires back at Sir Ray Avery

From Checkpoint, 5:49 pm on 5 July 2018

Helen Clark says Sir Ray Avery has adopted a "bullying approach" after she voiced opposition to a charity concert he wants to hold at Eden Park.

Ms Clark lives about 400m from the stadium where Sir Ray hopes put on a Live Aid-style concert to raise funds for premature babies.

The former prime minister called the proposal a Trojan horse that would pave the way for more concerts at the venue.

Sir Ray, formerly named New Zealander of the year, countered that she was engaging in "petty politics" on an issue that involved saving children's lives

Ms Clark told Checkpoint with John Campbell that she was merely exercising her rights as a Mt Eden resident, pointing out that there were many alternative venues for the event.

"I guess my point is, how does this make the ordinary citizen around Eden Park feel that if you put your head up and oppose something that a prominent New Zealander wants that you're going to be savaged in the media and called all sorts of things?"

She compared Sir Ray's remarks to those of a social media troll.

"There's a particular type of troll on [sites like Twitter] which pretty much falls into line with the rather bullying approach that Mr Avery has adopted.

"Now, he's probably picked the wrong person to try to bully in directly attacking me."

The concert is proposed to take place on Waitangi Day next year.