Mood of the Boardroom: CEOs see talent in Nats’ front bench (NZ Herald)
CEOs believe the National Party possesses a formidable pool of talent capable of leading a new government, should they be given the opportunity.
The Mood of the Boardroom survey asked them to rate each of the top 10-ranked National MPs.
Topping the list of National’s front bench in the eyes of CEOs is deputy leader and finance spokesperson, Nicola Willis, who received an impressive score of 4.19/5. This is on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1= not impressive and 5= very impressive.
Erica Stanford, spokesperson for education and immigration, was rated 4.02/5 and Chris Bishop, in charge of infrastructure, housing and RMA reform, earned a score of 3.68/5.
The head of a large asset management firm expressed some disappointment in Bishop’s recent U-turn on the bipartisan accord for townhouse zoning that allows developers to build more medium-density homes within existing urban areas.
“Chris Bishop is likeable and capable, but his walk back will make it much harder for New Zealand to address housing affordability, infrastructure and climate change.
“He is smarter than this, so perhaps it just reflects an attempt to win over small-minded voters?”
Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti came in fourth, scoring 3.68/5 — just ahead of leader Christopher Luxon with a rating of 3.37/5.
Even the lowest scoring of the 10, former party leader Judith Collins, received a reasonable score of 2.79/5.
Collins is National’s spokesperson for science, innovation and technology, along with foreign direct investment, digitising government and land information. She has been particularly active and adaptive in her roles after losing the party’s leadership position. Collins says a willingness to be interested in whatever comes her way has been part of her longevity in politics.
Although she wasn’t specifically asked about, a CEO in the education sector called out first-term MP Penny Simmonds as “impressive”.
Simmonds had been in charge of the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) for 23 years, which offered zero fees for locals and long-distance students. Ranked 16th on the National Party list, she is tipped as likely to become the minister in charge of unravelling the amalgamation of polytechnics into the single entity Te Pukenga, should the National Party form the next government.