▁to ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁in ▁which ▁role ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁senior ▁New ▁Ze al ander ▁in ▁the ▁UN ▁b ureau c racy . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁she ▁stood ▁for ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Secretary - General ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations , ▁but ▁was ▁un success ful . ▁ ▁History ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁as ▁a ▁founder ▁was ▁a ▁considerable ▁change ▁in ▁foreign ▁policy , ▁although ▁strongly ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁First ▁Labour ▁Government ▁which ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁had ▁a ▁firm ▁belief ▁in ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁collect ive ▁security ▁through ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations . ▁Pre vious ▁govern ments ▁had ▁put ▁all ▁their ▁political ▁and ▁military ▁reli ance ▁in ▁the ▁" M other ▁Country " ▁( the ▁United ▁Kingdom ), ▁and ▁expressed ▁res erv ations ▁about ▁particular ▁policies ▁priv ately . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁realized ▁that ▁it ▁could ▁no - long er ▁rely ▁on ▁Britain ▁to ▁protect ▁her . ▁After ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ' s ▁defeat ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁began ▁searching ▁for ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁increase ▁security ▁of ▁its ▁waters ▁and ▁people ▁through ▁mainly ▁collect ive ▁security ▁arrang ements . ▁The ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁Peter ▁F ras er ▁became ▁act ively ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁He ▁believed ▁that ▁an ▁organization ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁UN ▁could ▁be ▁a ▁place ▁to ▁solve ▁international ▁problems ▁peace fully , ▁ensure ▁New ▁Zealand ▁a ▁say ▁in