Toward Prosperity

"In this book Roger Douglas recounts events which led him from the political wilderness in which he found himself in 1980 to his position today as Minister of Finance in New Zealand's fourth Labour Government. Along the way he provides a vivid, sometimes startling, behind-the-scenes picture of government in action. With humour and simplicity he describes the events of the last seven years, from his relegation for outspokenness to the back benches of the Labour opposition, through the crisis of the four days following the snap election, the drama of the "Opening of the Books", the Economic Summit Conference and devaluation, to the controversy surrounding "Think Big" projects, the floating of the New Zealand dollar, and corporatisation. He writes about the people he works with inside and outside parliament -- the Labour cabinet and caucus, the bureaucrats, union and business leaders, the press and his constituents -- and looks at the roles and contributions of various sections of New Zealand society in a decade of major economic change. But most importantly, he describes the trials and tribulations of applying his economic policies, and reveals his personal vision of where he believes New Zealand could, and should, be aiming as we approach the year 2000"--Inside front cover.