Andrew Dickens Afternoons

So the mood of the boardroom special issue by the Herald is out and it’s a fascinating read.150 business leader were canvassed and asked about the state of our economy and the state of our governanceIt’s over 30 pages long and far more indicative of where we really are than some of the gloom-laden 20 second sound bites that we hear so often like “we’re going to hell in a handcart and this government is full of muppets.”For instance, business leaders have decided that Grant Robertson has been the best performing Minister this year and that’s reassuring since he is the Minister of finance after all. He’s described as disciplined and easy to work with. He’s also praised for his ability to maintain fiscal balance despite some big pushes from his colleagues to loosen the purse strings.That said he’s still not rating as high as Bill English in the same position. But what one energy chief says about him is instructive. “Huge work rate, big intellectual engine, and personable. The government needs another  5 of him”.