On The Record

Before Steven Joyce entered politics, he had a hugely successful 17-year career building and running the radio network RadioWorks. He learnt to cut deals, compete ferociously, and manage and soothe the egos of the on-air talent. They were all skills he would put to great use when he joined the National Party. After entering Parliament in 2008 when John Key took back power from Labour, Joyce was quickly promoted, and was a senior minister for almost all of his 10 years in Parliament. Alongside his portfolios ? including transport, infrastructure, finance and MBIE ? Joyce occupied a pivotal role as National's campaign strategist, leading the party's winning campaigns in 2011 and 2014. Such was Joyce's effectiveness, he gained the nickname of 'Minister for Everything', with John Key sending him in to clean up messes like the Novopay debacle and choosing him to run the new super-ministry, the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. Alongside John Key and Bill English, Joyce was one of the main powerbrokers of the Key government, as both strategist and enforcer of party discipline. Here, Joyce details the hard slog, discipline and negotiating skills necessary to thrive in the often-brutal world of politics. For the Record reveals what it takes to win and keep office, and the secrets behind the strategy and campaigning that led to National being in power for almost a decade. This is an essential read for anyone interested in the business of governing: packed full of insider knowledge, honest appraisals of the main players, entertaining anecdotes, and the reality of how politics works.