Hon Bill English
Minister of Finance
Hon Rodney Hide
Minister for Regulatory Reform

1 November 2010 Media Statement

Murray Sherwin to chair Productivity Commission

The Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Murray Sherwin, will chair the soon-to-be-established New Zealand Productivity Commission, Finance Minister Bill English and Regulatory Reform Minister Rodney Hide announced today.

"Murray Sherwin is exceptionally well-placed to chair the new Productivity Commission. He has wide experience as a public servant, including senior roles at MAF and the Reserve Bank, and I look forward to working with him," Mr English said

Mr Hide said the Productivity Commission, which is expected to be operational by April, would help boost New Zealand's economic performance across the public and private sectors.

"If we are to succeed in our ambition to significantly raise people’s living standards, then we must first advance policies to raise our productivity performance," Mr Hide said.

"I am very pleased that the first ever chair of the NZ Productivity Commission will be a person with the appropriate skills and experience for role," Mr Hide said.

The commission will have a wide-ranging brief to inquire into productivity-related matters. It will be modelled closely on the Australian Productivity Commission, which has been operating for more than 10 years.

Mr Sherwin’s last day at MAF will be Friday 19 November. He is also chair of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commission. His new appointment, which is subject to the successful passage of legislation and consent of the Governor General, will be for a five-year term.

ENDS

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