Clark gets 'A list' advice on direction to take

Ann Sherry

An "A list" of leading CEOs has provided Prime Minister Helen Clark confidential advice on the makeup of her new Cabinet and a more pro-business direction for her third term in office.

While television journalists traipsed about the Beehive after self-important minor party leaders as coalition negotiations deepened, Clark was carrying out parallel "coalition" negotiations with an arguably more important constituency: NZ business.

The CEOs were whisked to her ninth-floor office for individual consultations with Clark, her chief of staff, Heather Simpson, and Finance Minister Michael Cullen. Other ministers from Clark's inner circle such as Pete Hodgson and Trevor Mallard were brought in as required.

In an address to the Council of Trade Unions - her first since re-election - Clark said she had spoken with "innovative thinkers and leaders" outside government to get their perspectives on the pathway ahead.

"I believe a lot of common ground can be found ... we want to continue and extend that process of engagement to build a broader consensus about the job that needs to be done," she said.

Business leaders - speaking "on background" - were upbeat about the talks and believe they contributed to Clark's "shakeup" which has resulted in a wider spread of ministers with a pragmatic bent appointed to economic portfolios.

CEOs expect Clark to be "much more pragmatic" about economic reality in the next three years. Among reactions: "Infrastructure is likely to be more aggressively pursued"; "They seem to be getting a much better handle on the importance of getting more NZ companies to export"; "Auckland issues are more top of mind now".

Some - conscious of being "duchessed" by unaccustomed personal star treatment - were cautious about just how far Clark would go to address urgent issues identified in the Herald's Mood of the Boardroom CEOs election survey such as the skills shortage, productivity, energy supply and tax.

But most of those canvassed believed pressing issues like the ballooning balance of payments deficit, NZ's competitive outlook in comparison to burgeoning Asian powerhouses such as China and India would "force change" on the new Government.

Among those understood to be on Clark's invitation list:

Ann Sherry (Westpac CEO and chairwoman of the Government's Innovation Advisory Group); Theresa Gattung (Telecom CEO and GIAB member); Mark Weldon (NZX CEO), Fonterra chiefs, Craig Norgate (Rural Portfolio Investments managing director and GIAB member); NZ Institute CEO David Skilling, Rob Fenwick (Council for Business Sustainability); Michael Barnett (CEO Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce); and a group of energy sector players convened by Wellington lawyer Mai Chen.