Tim Watkin’s Minister of the Year
January 7th, 2011 at 4:56 pm by David FarrarTim Watkin looks at 2010, and annoints his minister of the year:
But it’s Dr Mapp who had the best year of all government ministers, to my mind, capped off with his announcement that he will make a dignified exit at this year’s election.
Mapp handled two crucial reviews in 2010, in defence and science. Neither gave into ideology, nor over-reached. Both showed real nous.
The defence white paper got our future focus about right in terms of naval and regional priorities and didn’t compromise our growing independence in foreign policy while keeping us close to Australia.
And if there’s that the government did in 2010 that will benefit to country in the long-term, it’s the reform of our Crown Research Institutes, which moved their energies away from competing with each other and back to science and ideas. The changes to how we do science here were over-due, could genuinely boost our economy, especially growth and innovation, in the medium-term and were “ambitious for New Zealand”.
Wayne will be getting out on top.
Tags: Tim Watkin, Wayne Mapp
January 7th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Isn’t it a pleasant change to hear some positive comment on the good work being done by this government. We are so used to shallow, partisan reports, and of course the total absence of any kind of real discussion in our media, that we really need someone to highlight the solid work being done. Well done, Wayne Mapp, and well done, Tim Watkins, for telling us.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
It is indeed weird but probably because there is so little good work to trumpet. My top MP would have to be Anne Tolley the perfect representative of this particular government. She knows nothing about her portfolio, listens to no one, follows purely ideological pathways and shows a distinct lack of empathy and a penchant for being a bully.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Kiwigunner:
You might be being a bit hard on Anne Tolley.
She implemented a policy that had been signalled long before, and more a policy initiated by John Key and Bill English. English announced it before the general election of 2005, when he was National’s education spokeswallah.
National had a mandate for National Standards at primary school, and it had every right to implement them, and every right to expect the teachers to get on with it rather than try to dictate policy.
She has largely fought the battle on her own, with very little open support from Messrs Key and English.
She hasn’t buckled to the minority of teachers and their unions who are trying to obstruct her. She’s winning.
That must be something worth noting, and the commentariat and the media are being very niggardly about doing so.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
The CRI’s had been knee capped since the early 1990′s when a not too bright minister in the Bolger Government named Simon Upton, made scientist’s beg for their salary. The disgusting mind games and jumping through hoops that that silly little boy imposed on scientist’s, gutted the sector from any dignity it had left. It has taken nearly twenty years to alter these moronic shackles, why so long?
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Wayne Slack – that traitorous swine.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
How can anyone go wrong with defense? It’s where you park your ‘soon to be retired, long serving MP’ and Wayne Mapp is a case in point.
My vote (and it hurts me to say this) as best minister is Paula Bennett, she has learnt from her early mistakes and saying and doing the right thing.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 9:09 pm
It is sad how many people judge the performance of ministers from a few headlines, and swallow the pap written by trivia-obsessed journalists.
Look a little deeper – if you can be bothered – and there are lots of people working hard and doing good. Even some who are retiring soon.
PS I fully support Anne Tolley’s “ideology” of improving the education of our children. Long may she refuse to listen to the self-interested teacher unions who only want to feather teachers’ cosy nests.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
Bollocks. He produced a White Paper which said business as usual except we won’t pay for it.
I think that after three decades of ever decreasing and declining defence spending, as well as soaring costs in everything from bombs to blankets, the NZDF would have saved $400 MILLION by now if it could have.
Good riddance. Bring on Simon Power as Defence Minister.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Sorry I meant Simon BRIDGES. Oops.
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 10:50 pm
Giod aren’t we sick of adults whining about being ‘bullied’? It is such an over-used word it has become meaningless. One day some poor kid will complain of really being bullied and everyone will just yawn.
And it amuses me that Anne Tolley is accused of being a bully (those poor little teachers) just because, after plenty of advice, consultation and expert opinion, she sticks to her guns, is well-informed and clear about her objectives and hasn’t caved in to unions that perhaps almost could be accused of bullying. Just read that appallingly deceitful full-page ad the PPTA has been paying for.
Isn’t her strength and commitment exactly what we want of our leaders?
Vote:January 7th, 2011 at 11:26 pm
YYD – firstly ( and I take offence) it’s DEFENCE! Not defense… Secondly there wouldn’t be a soldier in Battalion who wouldn’t take a piss in MP Mapp’s coffee who take a years PT session with an insane PTI. Enough said before I lose my commission.
Vote:January 8th, 2011 at 7:18 am
Wayne Mapp?
Science?
You got to be fucking joking. This “science” guy wants to take $3000 a year off each NZer on the basis of something which isnt even scientifically proven. Aided by that fucking moron Gluckman who is so stupid he has been easily deceived by others who omit that the second part of warming,( you know the 2-4 degrees part) from feedbacks cant and hasnt been proved.
Mapp has completely caved in for ideology, the ideology of the alarmists.
And he gets given best MP. What a fucking farce and what an ignorant fool Watkin is.
Vote:January 8th, 2011 at 7:49 am
Tragic that you can be Minister of the Year by producing a huge doorstopper of a report and change a CRI funding model. As the Minister in charge of NIWA who basically falsified their temp readings using an un published Salinger method from the 80s have now been forced kicking and screaming to recant and admit there has been NO warming since 1960 he should have resigned in disgrace anyway. Like me I guess most of us missed the headlines on NIWAs mea culpa.
Vote:Heatly has been my biggest dissapointment, his slowness with aquaculture and his extreme timidity with state housing were two areas the Nats could have been a little bolder and pragmatic with.
January 8th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
What about Bill English as MP of the Year? – deficit up, unemployment up, no long term vision, business confidence down, borrowing more and more each week. Got to be in with a shout!
Vote:January 8th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
Wayne Mapp ? ? ?
As Defence Minister shouldn’t his first priority be to get our defence relationship with the US back to normal ? and doesn’t that mean inviting them to visit ?
Vote:January 8th, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Or maybe Pansy Wong, paid little attention and almost no advocacy to Womans Affairs and then took husband on taxpayer funded business trips?
Vote:January 9th, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Richard Worth? He kept his mouth shut over whatever scandal he was involved in the previous year to protect the government – very admirable politically.
Vote:January 17th, 2011 at 6:43 am
I’m surprised this issue only makes 17 entries. We should be a lot harder in judging our parliamentarians and their performance. A number of them are underperforming and should be sacked – others are doing a good job. In my opinion we should judge more on individuals then on party performance. Such behaviour would over time improve the political system.
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