Top five columns of 2019: Fran O'Sullivan

Former Prime Minister Sir John Key. Photo / Greg Bowker

As we welcome in 2020, it's a good time to catch up on the very best of the Herald columnists we enjoyed reading in 2019. From politics to sport, from business to entertainment and lifestyle, these are the voices and views our audience loved the most. Today it's the top five from Head of Business Fran O'Sullivan.

Infrastructure 'at crisis point'

In June, the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council warned Jacinda Ardern that New Zealand is at an "infrastructure crisis point". The letter was releaed to Fran O'Sullivan, who revealed its contents and its damning indictment of New Zealand's infrastructure regime.

Fran O'Sullivan tackles John Key over the Hisco affair

David Hisco, the chief executive who master-minded ANZ's record near $2 billion profits, formally left the bank with a shattered reputation over the use of "chauffered cars". Fran O'Sullivan talked to ANZ New Zealand chair Sir John Key about what led to Hisco's departure.

Big issue is visible to everyone but Jacinda Ardern

In July, Jacinda Ardern met with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison - and the elephant in the room was the Reserve Bank's battle with the big four Australian banks over proposed capital hikes. According to O'Sullivan, Ardern made a great pretence of not seeing it.

Why Jacinda Ardern may be flying into a storm

Just two days earlier than the column above, Fran O'Sullivan wrote that Jacinda Ardern's visit to Melbourne was like flying into a storm, as the Reserve Bank tussled with the Australian finance sector. A meeting between the PM and 15 investors was closed to journalists.

The one gaping hole in the Budget - why was this glossed over?

In May, Finance Minister Grant Robertson delivered the world's first "Wellbeing Budget" - and while it ticked the right boxes in some areas, such as mental health services, one "gaping hole" was obscured. According to O'Sullivan, the younger middle-class and less well-paid New Zealanders had good reason to feel overlooked.