Ministers Crank Up Their Departmental Machines
April 30th, 2009
The swine flu labelled in some reports as a “killer virus” may exert another contractionary squeeze on the economy. Yet despite the efforts of a few news media outlets to beat up the threat, the response of health authorities in NZ to contain the potential risk was wide-ranging and effective. The pandemic planning undertaken by the Health Ministry in the wake of the bird flu scare has paid off. Paradoxically it was the heat applied by, Tony Ryall, as Opposition Health spokesman to the previous administration, which ensured the processes to manage the risk were up-to-date and efficient. Ryall doesn’t always get a good press but he is proving one of the most effective operators in the present Cabinet.
Another Minister who, like Ryall, has got quickly on top of her portfolio is Anne Tolley who, as one of her senior colleagues put it, “is executing stuff decisively.” Education officials are reported to be astonished papers delivered to the Minister in the afternoon are returned with a tick (or a cross, as may be) the next morning. This contrasts with the previous era where as many as four Ministers were involved in the education portfolio, and decision-making could only be described as achingly slow.
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Duncan Cotterill