Helengrad
Categories: New Zealand geography stubs | Politics of New Zealand | Cities and towns in New Zealand
Helengrad is a satirical name for Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It was first used in the media by a caller to a talkback radio show hosted by Lindsay Perigo's in late 1999 or early 2000, and has since become a widely-known term in New Zealand daily life.
The Helen in question is Helen Clark, the current Prime Minister of New Zealand (in power since 1999). The suffix -grad is an allusion to cities of the former Soviet Union named after political leaders, particularly Leningrad and Stalingrad. The term is in particular used derisively by political opponents of Clark and the Labour Party to paint their ideology as socialist and akin to communism.
Links
PC's Blog - 'Helengrad': Where did it come from?
Lindsay Perigo - The Hooey From Helengrad