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Monday, July 29, 2024

Professor Robert MacCulloch: Ghosts from the past - Failed ideas


National-ACT-NZ First's Pathetic Roll-Call of Ghosts Exhumed from the Past to Roll out Failed Ideas. No wonder Young Kiwis either leave or vote Green.

If you worked for John Key's government and have retired, here's the deal - keep claiming the pension (like Peter Gluckman, Murray McCully, Lester Levy, and more) and get it topped up multiple times by the man who Key anointed to succeed him, Chris (when I don't know what to do I call John) Luxon. Here are his appointments since elected:

Bill English (John Key's Finance Minister and Former PM who has been brought back by Luxon to head the (Non) Independent Review of Kāinga Ora Housing)


Murray McCully (John Key's Foreign Minister who has been brought back by Luxon to head a (Non) Independent Review of the School Property System - now a 71 year old man)


Paula Bennett (John Key's Deputy Prime Minister who has been brought back by Luxon to be the Chair of Pharmac, formerly of Barfoot of Thompson real estate agents)


Simon Bridges (John Key's Minister of Transport and Economic Development who has been brought back by Luxon to Chair the NZ Transport Agency Board)


Steven Joyce (John Key's Minister for Tertiary Education & Bill English's Minister of Finance who has been brought back by Luxon to Chair the new Government’s “expert advisory panel” on infrastructure).


Lester Levy (John Key's Head of the Auckland District Health Boards who has been brought back by Luxon to run Health NZ - now a 70 year old man)


Peter Gluckman (John Key's Chief Scientific Officer who has been brought back by Luxon to Chair the Review of NZ Universities - now a 75 year old man)


Matt Burgess (John Key and Bill English's Economic Adviser who has been brought back to be Luxon's Economic Adviser)


Neil Quigley (John Key's Chair of the Reserve Bank Board who has been re-appointed by Luxon as the RBNZ Chair, in spite of a stuff-up of monetary policy of biblical proportions that caused the cost-of-living crisis)


The NZ Initiative (John Key's informally appointed National Party think tank that has been brought back by Luxon to be his informally appointed National Party Think Tank).

Meanwhile Former Finance Minister Robertson now heads Otago University on a $670,000 salary. Other Labour Ministers have piled into lucrative Wellington lobbying firm positions. We're descending into third world status whereby the politically well-connected get all the top jobs. No wonder talented young Kiwis either leave NZ, or vote Green if they stay. Between National and Labour, we ain't no meritocracy anymore.

Professor Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at Auckland University. He has previously worked at the Reserve Bank, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics. He runs the blog Down to Earth Kiwi from where this article was sourced.

6 comments:

DeeM said...

And we wonder why we never fix the same old problems. They just go around and around.
It's the same bunch of bozos who created the problems that have been appointed to fix them.

Anonymous said...

So what is your point exactly about noting their ages? I too am in my 70's and I think that is where our only hope lies. The young woke, gender confused idealogues and their public service hacks of the last government really proved their worth didn't they? Gawd give me strength.

CXH said...

Anon, the ages are a valid point. It is a continuation of the old guard, head deep in the trough, yet unlikely to do any better than their last time in control.

There should be plenty of suitable candidates available that are not tainted by their closeness to the fabled rock star economy, which was anything but. If there isn't, it is only because their rise and experience has been blocked over the years.

It is time many of us older Kiwis realise the time has come to step back. Mentor others rather than run things further down.

EP said...

Well - age isn't everything. As I read those names, i think some sound good and others less so. This is a very small country. Yes I am disappointed that Luxon lacks initiative, but I keep faith with ACT - really surprised though that that party is not featuring higher in the polls. Good people!

Anonymous said...

Do knowledge, skills, and experience expire at a particular age?

Anonymous said...

I dont think age is the issue.
I am in my seventies and can think of people who have a wealth of experience and accumulated wisdom that would be better advisors /consultants on issues than those mentioned.
Joyce in particular does not have the depth of understanding to be influencing policy decisions.
But politically National need to get fresh heads and extract themselves from the same old approach.
And they need to represent the people .not the corporate sector.