Roundtable chief honoured

Business Roundtable executive director Roger Kerr has won this year's NZIER Qantas Economics award.

The award, presented by Qantas and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, is made for "an outstanding contribution in the field of economics which is likely to be of lasting importance to New Zealand".

Institute chairman Michael Walls noted Mr Kerr's contribution towards lifting the quality of debate on economic policy in New Zealand.

He said an independent selection panel believed that no single individual had done more in the last 15 years to persuade the business sector to support economic policies which were in the interests of the country.

Previous winners include Telecom chairman Dr Roderick Deane, Victoria University Emeritus Professor Sir Frank Holmes, economics Professor Lewis Evans and Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash.

- NZPA