Former politician Steven Joyce discusses his book, On the Record. Topics include his political career, growing business and missed opportunities, an amusing anecdote about Jeffrey Palmer, mixed feelings and moving forward after having their business stolen, governance experience and ministerial role, the importance of setting clear goals, a day with Angela Merkel at the G20 Summit, and the decision to not campaign against MMP.
Stephen Joyce discusses his experiences in radio and the challenges he faced as a young executive managing a large business.
Stephen Joyce shares his transition from the radio industry to politics, discussing the personal and professional challenges he encountered.
Stephen Joyce emphasizes his focus on infrastructure development and policy-making, highlighting his commitment to building better roads and improving transportation networks.
Deep dives
Stephen Joyce's book 'On the Record' details his political and pre-political life
Stephen Joyce, the former Minister of Transport and Finance, has written a book titled 'On the Record' which chronicles his time in politics as well as his earlier career in radio. The book explores his nine years working alongside former Prime Minister John Key, as well as his role in re-engineering the National Party. Joyce discusses various topics in the book, including his experiences in radio, the business deals he made, and his views on political leadership.
Joyce's involvement in radio and the growth of the industry
Stephen Joyce shares his experience of working in radio, detailing how he and a partner built a radio network from just two people to a team of 650 employees. He also mentions the deal with radio Pacific that helped them grow and the influence of Derek Lowe, who joined their board and played a key role in the success of the station. Joyce highlights the challenges he faced as a young executive managing a large business and the skills he had to develop to lead effectively.
Joyce's transition from the radio industry to politics
Stephen Joyce discusses his transition from the radio industry to politics, specifically his involvement in election campaigns and his initial decision to decline an offer to join politics made by John Key. Joyce explains the personal and professional challenges he faced during this time, including the difficulty of letting go of his identity tied to his business ventures. However, with a genuine interest in politics and desire to make positive changes, Joyce ultimately decided to embrace the opportunity and enter the world of politics.
Joyce's role in infrastructure development and policy-making
Stephen Joyce highlights his focus on infrastructure development and policy-making during his time in politics. He discusses his involvement in major projects such as Transmission Gully and ultra-fast broadband, and how he worked to challenge status quo approaches for better outcomes. Joyce addresses his reservations about central banks and the need for caution in their expansion beyond their original mandate. He emphasizes his commitment to ensuring New Zealand's growth and success by removing obstacles to individual aspiration and striving for improved government efficiency.
Joyce's impact on road infrastructure and the debate surrounding cell phones in cars
Stephen Joyce's influence on road infrastructure is highlighted, particularly his commitment to building better roads and improving transportation networks. He acknowledges the concerns surrounding distraction while driving and the impact of cell phones. Joyce recalls his involvement in changing the law to discourage cell phone use while driving and shares his personal experience of receiving a careless driving conviction. He also addresses the cautious approach to governance and the importance of balancing political objectives with effective decision-making.
Steven Joyce, former politician, filled the roles of Minister of Transport, Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Minister of Science and Innovation, and then served as Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure, to name a few.
In this episode we discuss his book, On the Record.
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