COMMENT:
Our self-confessed "belching and expectorating" Minister for Regional Economic Development has hit on a topic that should be front and centre for the Prime Minister's new Business Advisory Group — the performance of some of NZ's biggest firms.
If the Prime Minister and Christopher Luxon are smart, they will take on board Shane Jones' underlying messaging which, while delivered with a total lack of couth, is resonating in provincial New Zealand.
That's the crux of Jones' continued onslaught against some of NZ's biggest companies and their leaders.
Despite an internationally stellar performance, Air New Zealand, which is led by Luxon, remains in Jones' sights because of its pricing strategies on provincial routes and the withdrawal of some services. The Warehouse chair Joan Withers earlier copped an unfair spray over a proposal to withdraw from Kaikohe after its tussle with a local landlord.
Fonterra's former chairman John Wilson was reamed out at Fieldays over the co-operative's losses, and this week Jones added "skinflint Aussie banks" to his target list, accusing them of ripping out $5 billion in profits from New Zealand each year at the same time as they were withdrawing provincial town services.
New Zealand corporates find this deeply shocking from a serving Cabinet Minister.
But the days of CEO lionisation are long gone in political quarters.
While most business leaders prefer a little ego stroking to the "Jones boy's" attacking style, they will have to harden up as it is obvious Jacinda Ardern has made no move to rein him in.
In essence, there is a growing sense that it's not just the Government that needs to pull its weight.