Simon Bridges has over the past few days made what would undoubtedly have been the toughest decision of his political career, telling Steven Joyce he wasn't going to be the shadow Finance Minister, a job he'd held on the ride side of politics for 10 months.
Just over a week ago Joyce was running for the leader's job which he was never going to get. But in putting his hand up he obviously hoped his colleagues would live with him in the powerful finance role.
Outwardly Joyce is an easy-going, pleasant fellow. But behind National's closed doors he wielded a great deal of power - particularly when John Key and Bill English were around - alienating a number of his colleagues. His power base walked out the door with English and even though Bridges offered him portfolios of his choice on the front bench, he must have known they wouldn't have been accepted.
The most qualified for the critical finance job of those senior enough to be considered for it would be Judith Collins, who along with a master of law degree has a master of taxation studies. But what would seem to be appropriate qualifications aren't always a measure of the job as zoologist Joyce proved with the 11 economic papers he took at Massey, failing some of them through insufficient grades, withdrawal or failing to complete them.
But the abrasive, qualified Crusher Collins, as Bridges likes to call her, will be overlooked for the job in favour of former lawyer Amy Adams who ironically holds the seat formerly occupied by National's first Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson, a Rogergnome who brought us Ruthanasia with her self-proclaimed "Mother of All Budgets" slashing welfare benefits.
