-By Doug Green. Editorial from October 2012 issue of NZ Manufacturer.

Greg Cross, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder, PowerbyProxi, puts it quite nicely in The Interview (Page 6) when he says in response to the question: Any thoughts on the super ministry? ‘ If it looks like a whale, smells like a whale and talks like a whale it is probably going to be a giant bureaucracy. By the time they figure it out we will probably have a new government who will want to change it again!’

The super ministry, which came into effect under the auspices of Hon Steven Joyce in July this year, combines the ministries of Economic Development and Science and Innovation with the departments of Labour and Building and Housing.

They have a positive, forward-thinking strategy which includes making the country richer and they are selling it to the nation which is still not sure what they do.

So let’s transfer this energy into the private sector and see how we can keep New Zealand moving ahead. Let’s look at the super ministry’s brief and feed into it.

Let’s not depend on the super ministry to make all things right – because, when all is said and done, there is no guarantee it will exist in its current form if there is a change of government at the next election.

I am a firm believer in the private sector driving the economy with The Department of Health providing the penadol and IRD the breaks every now and again to make life easier.

However,I want to know that the super ministry can succeed with business development and that this amalgamation has not just been a government cost-cutting exercise.