Murray McCully is leading a ministerial review of the Ministry of Education's School Property Function. Photo / Mark Mitchell
OPINION
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Welcome to the Politics Briefing. This week, two more former National Party ministers were roped into jobs advising the new Government.
Former Foreign Minister Murray McCully is leading a ministerial review of the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function for Education Minister Erica Stanford, his successor in East Coast Bays. And former Finance Minister Steven Joyce is leading a panel advising the Treasury on the design of a new infrastructure agency promised by the Government.
As well, former Prime Minister Sir Bill English is conducting a review into Kainga Ora; former National Party leader Simon Bridges has been made chair of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency; and former minister Roger Sowry is on a ministerial review into KiwiRail’s inter-island ferry service.
If they weren’t all so capable, the Government could be accused of cronyism.
McCully seems a little over-qualified to conduct a review of school property systems, along with his co-reviewers Mark Binns, the chair of Crown Infrastructure Partners, and civil engineer Tracey Haszard. The high-powered team spells one thing: they won’t be producing a report setting out the blindingly obvious - that building costs have blown out and derailed the Ministry of Education’s building programme. It will be a major rethink of who should be responsible for school property planning, building and maintenance.
To inform the property review, Stanford also set up a reference group of school principals, education peak body representatives, and school board representatives to provide their views and experiences.
Judith Collins and Penny Simmonds, as Science Minister and Tertiary Education Minister respectively, announced two more advisory groups this week, both chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, to advise how the science sector and university sector can help to lift New Zealand’s productivity and growth.
The Science Sector Advisory Group and the University Advisory Group will look at research funding, among other things, and the criteria for getting funding. MBIE and the Ministry of Education have not yet announced the membership of the groups which will each be required to produce two reports, one setting out the challenges in each sector and the other making recommendations.
The new Government has not yet matched the pace of the previous Government for setting up reviews and task forces but it can’t be too far behind.
Two important Wellington jobs were announced this week. Bede Corry, New Zealand’s ambassador to Washington, will return to lead the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the ministry’s current deputy secretary, policy, Ben King, will hold the crucial post of chief executive of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Corry’s appointment was a surprise because although I put him in the contender’s mix for the Mfat job in a piece I wrote last year, I was assured by supposedly well-connected people that he would not go for it a third time, having missed out when Brook Barrington got it and when Chris Seed got it.
Corry has a stunning CV including serving as High Commissioner to London and has been a deputy secretary of Defence. His experience in Washington will be invaluable in Wellington whether Biden or Trump wins the presidency this year. He may have to brush up on his people skills, however, managing a staff of 1500 and 58 posts. King, another diplomat at the top of his game, is thought to have been a contender as well.
Corry and King both worked in the Beehive at the same time in the late 1990s, Corry for Sir Don McKinnon when he was Foreign Minister, and King for Lockwood Smith when he was Trade Minister.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis continued lowering expectations this week about the May Budget when she published the Budget Policy Statement. Getting back to surplus in 2026-27 would not be achievable, she said. Getting there the following year was possible but not a given. She doesn’t mind comparisons with Grant Robertson’s record. She has a well-rehearsed repertoire of ripostes. But not so much the occasional comparison to the UK’s Liz Truss and other women. Willis got a little prickly on Wednesday when Marc Daalder of Newsroom asked her in the press conference if she was taking a different approach to how Ruth Richardson, the mother of the Mother-of-All-Budgets, might have. “Of course I am,” she snapped. “I’m a daughter of history. This is 2024. I’m Nicola Willis and I’m a bit sick of being compared to every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”
“Which activity will the Government support off the Taranaki shore: offshore wind energy or seabed mining? You cannot have both.” Te Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer to Regional Development Minister Shane Jones.
“I thank the member from Taranaki for that question. She would know there’s endless amounts of wind from that part of the country.” Jones responds.
A new list MP was sworn into Parliament this week. Who was it and who was he or she replacing? (Answers below.)
Goes to Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden for disestablishing the cross-government group with an interest in the Gloriavale Christian cult on the West Coast - supposedly cutting bureaucracy. A challenge to the minister: Watch TVNZ’s Escaping Utopia over Easter and see if you feel the same way.
Goes to the new head of MFAT, Bede Corry. Perseverance has paid off.
Private school funding: Act leader David Seymour on lifting state funding for private schools but reducing free lunches in state schools.
Minimum wage change: A variety of cash boosts and tax changes are coming into effect on April 1 that could provide a helping hand.
Disability allowance: Penny Simmonds is now required to take any future proposed changes to disability allowances to the Cabinet for sign-off.
Kermadec plans scrapped: The Government has given up trying to establish the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary.
Government finances: Finance Minister won’t be able to get the Government’s finances back in shape as quickly as expected.
Five Eyes spy equipment: The Apparition system was among those disclosed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013
Students designated areas: Winston Peters says the University of Auckland’s action of having designated areas were comparable to alt-right racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.
Fees-free, Three Strikes UNDRIP: The number of students eligible for the Government’s new fees-free policy in 2025 could be nearly 30,000 fewer.
Budget Policy Statement: The Treasury expects the economy to slow more quickly than expected.
Willis no Ruth Richardson: Finance Minister Nicola Willis was firm in distinguishing herself from the architect of the Mother of All Budgets, Ruth Richardson.
Winston Peters demands apology: Serious Fraud Office appeal against the acquittal of two men who handled donations to the New Zealand First Foundation has been dismissed.
Watchdog blasts NZSIS: Independent watchdog blasts NZ Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) for spying on individuals.
Quiz answer: Glen Bennett, Labour list MP based in New Plymouth, who filled the list vacancy created by Grant Robertson’s retirement from politics.
Stay with us over Easter at www.nzherald.co.nz for breaking news, analysis and commentary. Look out for a piece I’ve done on the Anzus Treaty for Monday. Parliament will be in recess next week and resumes on Tuesday, April 9 at 2pm.
Audrey Young is the New Zealand Herald’s senior political correspondent. She was named Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards in 2023, 2020 and 2018.
For more political news and views, listen to On the Tiles, the Herald’s politics podcast.
Expectations tempered around return to surplus in 2027/28.