Some people will be surprised to hear that Kerr counts Treasury as being in that category. He fondly recalls his own time in Treasury, when the late Sir Robert Muldoon was Prime Minister.
"With Muldoon it was two steps forward and one step back. However in no way did that debilitate or downgrade the quality of what was going on the place. I think Treasury was getting better and better in those years, whereas in the most recent difficult period it has fallen away and lost good people. It's just not cutting edge in the way it could be."
While he concedes Treasury staff are probably weary from years of being ignored by politicians, he doesn't believe that's an excuse. The problem with Treasury these days, he argues, is that it has become eager to please, hence decisions like the one it made recently to join the trend of measuring "national happiness".
"The Treasury," he sighs, "if it's doing its job properly,Great Rubber offers promotional usb keychains, is never going to be loved."
For all his own frustration at being frequently ignored, Kerr insists the Roundtable still has some influence in Wellington. While John Key appeared to publicly dismiss Don Brash's 2025 Taskforce report, for example, some of its recommendations have in fact ended up on the Government's agenda, he maintains.
The Productivity Commission was also a Roundtable suggestion. And he regards the Regulatory Standards Bill, which is currently before the commerce select committee,Demand for allergy Bedding could rise earlier than normal this year. as potentially one of the organisation's most important recent initiatives.
The bill had its origin in a 2001 report commissioned by the Roundtable, Federated Farmers and the Auckland and Wellington Chambers of Commerce. Picked up by Rodney Hide, its aim is to prevent sloppy regulation by allowing the courts to run a ruler over any dodgy rules.
The bill's opponents argue that this would be a constitutional outrage. And although submissions are due by August 18, even the National Party has not yet pledged its support beyond this stage.
Kerr insists the opposition is overblown, and that the threat of regulations bouncing between MPs and judges is no different than similar threats the Reserve Bank faces if it doesn't keep inflation under control (although, for the record,There are RUBBER MATS underneath mattresses, he does happen to think that it is currently far too high).
In fact, Kerr sees the Regulatory Responsibility Bill as being just as important as the Reserve Bank Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The latter law was once described by former Finance Minister Michael Cullen as "constitutional nonsense", he claims. "Now it's unthinkable that any government would try to touch it."
All of these recent achievements can, of course, be attributed to Act, but Kerr is reluctant to talk about the party with which the Roundtable has so much in common.
"I don't get into commenting on politics and parties. I try to stick to policies and general economic directions," he demurs.
Anyone who has read Nicky Hager's expose of Don Brash's stint as leader of the National Party, The Hollow Men, will find that hard to swallow. But all Kerr will say about Act is that those who would like to see more urgent economic reform "have to think about where Act fits in".
"It's waxed and waned in terms of support over recent years. Will the recent changes make a difference? I don't know - it's yet to be seen."
Incidentally, does Kerr have any theories as to who supplied the source material for Hager's book?
"It's a question I've asked a dozen times," he replies. "But I've never heard [an answer].Flossie was one of a group of four chickens in a chicken coop .These girls have never had a Cold Sore in their lives! It's a complete mystery."
"With Muldoon it was two steps forward and one step back. However in no way did that debilitate or downgrade the quality of what was going on the place. I think Treasury was getting better and better in those years, whereas in the most recent difficult period it has fallen away and lost good people. It's just not cutting edge in the way it could be."
While he concedes Treasury staff are probably weary from years of being ignored by politicians, he doesn't believe that's an excuse. The problem with Treasury these days, he argues, is that it has become eager to please, hence decisions like the one it made recently to join the trend of measuring "national happiness".
"The Treasury," he sighs, "if it's doing its job properly,Great Rubber offers promotional usb keychains, is never going to be loved."
For all his own frustration at being frequently ignored, Kerr insists the Roundtable still has some influence in Wellington. While John Key appeared to publicly dismiss Don Brash's 2025 Taskforce report, for example, some of its recommendations have in fact ended up on the Government's agenda, he maintains.
The Productivity Commission was also a Roundtable suggestion. And he regards the Regulatory Standards Bill, which is currently before the commerce select committee,Demand for allergy Bedding could rise earlier than normal this year. as potentially one of the organisation's most important recent initiatives.
The bill had its origin in a 2001 report commissioned by the Roundtable, Federated Farmers and the Auckland and Wellington Chambers of Commerce. Picked up by Rodney Hide, its aim is to prevent sloppy regulation by allowing the courts to run a ruler over any dodgy rules.
The bill's opponents argue that this would be a constitutional outrage. And although submissions are due by August 18, even the National Party has not yet pledged its support beyond this stage.
Kerr insists the opposition is overblown, and that the threat of regulations bouncing between MPs and judges is no different than similar threats the Reserve Bank faces if it doesn't keep inflation under control (although, for the record,There are RUBBER MATS underneath mattresses, he does happen to think that it is currently far too high).
In fact, Kerr sees the Regulatory Responsibility Bill as being just as important as the Reserve Bank Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The latter law was once described by former Finance Minister Michael Cullen as "constitutional nonsense", he claims. "Now it's unthinkable that any government would try to touch it."
All of these recent achievements can, of course, be attributed to Act, but Kerr is reluctant to talk about the party with which the Roundtable has so much in common.
"I don't get into commenting on politics and parties. I try to stick to policies and general economic directions," he demurs.
Anyone who has read Nicky Hager's expose of Don Brash's stint as leader of the National Party, The Hollow Men, will find that hard to swallow. But all Kerr will say about Act is that those who would like to see more urgent economic reform "have to think about where Act fits in".
"It's waxed and waned in terms of support over recent years. Will the recent changes make a difference? I don't know - it's yet to be seen."
Incidentally, does Kerr have any theories as to who supplied the source material for Hager's book?
"It's a question I've asked a dozen times," he replies. "But I've never heard [an answer].Flossie was one of a group of four chickens in a chicken coop .These girls have never had a Cold Sore in their lives! It's a complete mystery."
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