Herald Business Bouquets and Brickbats

Some extracts from the full list:

THE FELTEX AWARD FOR PULLING THE RUG
Michael Cullen for scuppering the airport deal with a last-minute tax rule change. When that didn’t deter willing sellers, he ensured the “strategic” land couldn’t be sold anyway.

THE WILLIE APIATA AWARD FOR COOLNESS UNDER FIRE
Solid Energy chairman Don Elder for wrestling a bag of coal from a Santa-suited protester while dodging a custard pie at the company’s public meeting in Auckland.

THE RED ARMY AWARD FOR SCORCHING THE EARTH
The Previous Government – nine years of budget deficits, ACC blowouts, health board infrastructure deficits … good luck, John.

I especially like the red army award. It’s not even nine years of budget deficits. It is a permament structural budget deficit.