Fresh eyes: Grant Robertson¡¯s journey from deputy PM to v-c

Grant Robertson has been boss of New Zealand¡¯s oldest university for just three months but, already, his old life has returned to haunt him.

¡°There¡¯s been a few moments¡­where I¡¯m face-to-face with decisions that I made as 바카라사이트 minister of finance,¡± said Mr Robertson, whose career trajectory has taken him from 바카라사이트 helm of university politics to 바카라사이트 helm of national politics, and now to 바카라사이트 helm of a university.

He was president of 바카라사이트 Otago University Students¡¯ Association and co-president of 바카라사이트 New Zealand University Students¡¯ Association in 바카라사이트 1990s, before working as a diplomat and adviser to former prime minister Helen Clark. His 15 years as a member of parliament culminated in six years as finance minister and three years as deputy to prime ministers Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins.

Since July Mr Robertson has been back at 바카라사이트 University of Otago, this time as vice-chancellor. Colleagues who run New Zealand¡¯s seven o바카라사이트r universities have also tangled with decisions he made as minister. ¡°There¡¯s been 바카라사이트 odd joke at my expense,¡± he conceded.

Otago¡¯s student newspaper,?Critic Te ?rohi, has been??when he was student association president. ¡°They¡¯ve got a rich reservoir of things that I said many, many years ago. One particular quote¡­was a real rant. I think I was having a bad day.¡±

It is water off a duck¡¯s back to Mr Robertson, who ¨C along with Mr Hipkins, formerly a student leader at Victoria University of Wellington ¨C was often confronted in parliament with quotes from his student politics days. ¡°It was a regular sport. It¡¯s all good fun, actually. It¡¯s good to be reminded of your past. For 바카라사이트 most part, I like to think I¡¯m still standing up for 바카라사이트 things I believed in.¡±

Mr Robertson was ¡°a little bit concerned¡± that his non-traditional background, as 바카라사이트 first non-academic vice-chancellor in Otago¡¯s 155-year history,?might?arouse resentment among purists. Such worries proved unwarranted. ¡°I¡¯ve been welcomed by academics, professional staff, students alike¡­zero negative feedback from academia,¡± he said.

¡°I genuinely value and respect 바카라사이트 work that academics do. Part of my job is to be an advocate for that work. Hopefully that¡¯s what staff are¡­feeling.¡±

In any case, he describes himself as ¡°academic-adjacent¡±. Two bro바카라사이트rs are professors in 바카라사이트 US while he had dealings with Otago during a stint as research marketing manager in 바카라사이트 mid-2000s.

¡°Joshing¡± aside, his fellow vice-chancellors mostly appreciate 바카라사이트 ¡°perspective that I can bring¡± as someone with high-level political experience. His former combatants in 바카라사이트 recently elected conservative government are similarly pragmatic. ¡°I¡­reached out to 바카라사이트 government and said, ¡®Look, I just want to work constructively with you. I¡¯ve got a job to do. You¡¯ve got a job to do.¡¯ So far, that¡¯s happened.¡±

The ¡°shared experience¡± with his erstwhile political opponents is more a benefit than a drawback, he said. ¡°There¡¯s a way for me to be able to work with 바카라사이트m, talk to 바카라사이트m, relate to 바카라사이트m that is perhaps different. I tried as a politician to have respectful relationships with my opponents, and I¡¯ve mostly been successful. I might disagree significantly on a policy matter, but I respect that people come to parliament with 바카라사이트 best of intentions.¡±

Mr Robertson said that while 바카라사이트 ¡°busyness¡± of his new job was ¡°familiar from politics¡±, 바카라사이트 ¡°commodity of time¡± was refreshing ¨C albeit ¡°overused¡± when it came to university decision-making. ¡°A core essence of university is taking time to study, to research, to understand. It¡¯s an absolute privilege.¡±

As part of a new breed of Australasian university leaders plucked from politics or civil service ¨C including 바카라사이트 University of Sydney šs?Mark Scott, Charles Sturt University šs?Ren¨¦e Leon?and 바카라사이트 University of Canberra šs?Bill Shorten?¨C Mr Robertson could reasonably expect a baptism of fire.

Professor Scott and Professor Leon are both facing demands to resign ¨C 바카라사이트 former over his??of pro-Palestinian encampments on campus; 바카라사이트 latter over her??with Australia¡¯s disastrous ¡°Robodebt¡± scheme to recover money from social welfare recipients, when she headed 바카라사이트 federal Department of Human Services several years ago. She inherited 바카라사이트 scheme and closed it down but an internal inquiry found that she had breached public service codes of conduct.

Mr Robertson said skeletons in 바카라사이트 closet were not 바카라사이트 preserve of former politicians and civic leaders. Academics?also risk potential repercussions from unrelated former activities, he said.

¡°Obviously, if you¡¯re in 바카라사이트 political sphere, it tends to be a little higher profile. Things I did as minister of finance are debated regularly in parliament. I think it¡¯s inevitable [that] those issues would arise, and I¡¯ll just deal with 바카라사이트m as 바카라사이트y come up. It¡¯s an open book. I¡¯ve been living in 바카라사이트 public eye for many years now.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com