Tim Groser and Steven Joyce have been star performers for the government and both have been given the recognition they deserve by the Prime Minister. We are pleased that Tim has been given the chance to lead the weighty and complex job of International Climate Change. His wisdom and pragmatism will give New Zealand the chance to optimise any trade gains that can be made from world wide rush to Emissions Trading. We need to ensure that international policy does not impact negatively on the backbone of our economy - dairying.
As for Joyce - it's well known that he has the capacity for a heavy workload and a head for long term strategy - his sector relations are also superb. The education portfolio will benefit from his helicopter roll.
The lack of large changes to Cabinet will dismay Labour who will have been looking for blood. While they will be able to make some mileage out of Anne Tolleys demotion, there is little else wher Labour can gain any traction.
Key has put his two "fix it" men in charge of the areas that are the two biggest risks - that type of decision making just underscores the PM's growing reputation for pragmatism.
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
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3 comments:
It is sad to me that Ms Tolley's portfolio change is called a demotion.
Her looming battle with the very strong teachers and principals unions over their politicisation of the proposed increased information flow to parents as regards the achievement of their children against national levels with particular emphasis on numeracy and literacy will be a much bigger job than any previous ministers have had for some time. The measuring of what has been happening here is of great importance to parents who care and the nation as a whole. The protection of poor performing teachers from measuring their competence and so denying those who are wanting from retraining or being removed from where they can continue to disadvantage their pupils from the one chance they get at education. This must be addressed and I applaud the moves being attempted.
As to Mr Joyce's taking the tertiary portfolio, it is a very different matter and is more finance and management oriented. It shares little in common with the education portfolio as the consumers in the tertiary area have maturity that gives them power to assess issues that can be dealt with by themselves whereas the children in schools do not have that power to evaluate their teachers and get around any substandard ones.
Our standards are lagging from what we can achieve so lets be positive here.
Sure do hope that Tim Groser is honest enough to take on board the dramatic unravelling of things to do with Global Warning. Mainly that the science wasn`t flawed, it just was not science period.
As for our so called ETS, a classic case of `fools rushing in where wise men fear to tread.`
Are we feeling lighter today?
need to replace the for with a - in the title
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