Helen Patricia Duncan (7 November 1941 – 6 February 2007) was a New Zealand politician and a member of the Labour Party. Early years Duncan was born in Greymouth on the West Coast, and attended the University of Canterbury, the University of Auckland, and Christchurch Teachers' College. She worked as a teacher in a number of different cities including Lower Hutt, Masterton and Auckland. She was involved with the New Zealand Educational Institute (Te Riu Roa) and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. Member of Parliament She first stood for Parliament in the , unsuccessfully in the Auckland electorate of for the Labour Party. In 1998 Jill White, a Labour list MP, resigned from Parliament. As Duncan was the next-ranked person on the Labour Party list, she entered Parliament in White's place. In the and the s, Duncan remained in Parliament as a list MP, also unsuccessfully contesting the electorate. She left Parliament at the after being diagnosed with cancer. She died on 6 February 2007. In the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours, Duncan was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for public services. Notes References 1941 births 2007 deaths New Zealand Labour Party MPs New Zealand educators University of Canterbury alumni University of Auckland alumni Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit People from Greymouth Deaths from cancer in New Zealand Women members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand list MPs Unsuccessful candidates in the 1996 New Zealand general election Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives 21st-century New Zealand politicians 21st-century New Zealand women politicians 20th-century New Zealand women politicians 20th-century New Zealand politicians New Zealand trade unionists People educated at Greymouth High School