The Week in Review

Well the National Party definitely stole the limelight this week – with the ousting of Simon Bridges, a new party leader and here in the South a new candidate as well.

Penny Simmonds looks set to give up her chief executive job at the Southern Institute of Technology after 28 years, as she moves into the world of politics.

She said earlier this week, in a statement, that with the difficult economic times we have in front of us, it will be important to have people in politics who have experience in leading and running businesses.

Not only that but people who also understand the pressures businesses and community organisations are under.

She’s looking forward “with a passion” to make things happen, and in particular fixing the issues across our primary industries.

https://whatsoninvers.nz/sit-boss-looking-forward-to-new-challenge/

The National Party has a plan to get the country working productively again.

New leader Todd Muller wants to see the border with Australia opened as a matter of urgency, and has already put his hand up to be spokesperson for Small Business.

But who is this guy from the Bay of Plenty that many of us wouldn’t even have heard of a week ago?

Well, for one, he’s a small town guy whose thinking stretches well beyond Wellington, which holds strong appeal for anybody living outside of the capital.

He was quoted as saying on Friday that the economy was something of a Wellington construct with a Wellington focus.

“For me, when we talk economy, it’s the economy of communities…”

And he felt that it was these small communities that would start to really bear the brunt of COVID-19.

So watch this space. There’s an election coming. It already has been an interesting year and it’s only going to get more so.

https://whatsoninvers.nz/simon-bridges-loses-national-party-leadership-to-todd-muller/