Rt Hon Sir William Birch GNZM

• Minister of Finance
  [The Finance portfolio also includes responsibility for the Government Superannuation Fund Department]
• Minister of Revenue
• Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services
• Minister Responsible for the Government Legislation Programme
• MP, Port Waikato

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Finance Focus April 1998 September 1997

Minister of Finance Creating the Right Climate For Business Profitability Speech presentation Outlook for New Zealand 2000-01 Power Point presentation Economic Outlook May 1998 Power Point presentation NZ Economy - 90s and Beyond Power Point presentation (Sydney April 01 1999)

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Cabinet Strategy Subcommittee on Expenditure Control and Government Administration EXG
Cabinet Strategy Subcommittee on Appointments and Honours APH
Cabinet Legislation Committee LEG

Sir William Birch was born on 9 April 1934 in Hastings and educated at Hamilton Technical College and Wellington Technical Correspondence School.

Sir William is a qualified surveyor and opened a private practice in Pukekohe in 1957. His political career came from a backgroundof community service - 6 years as deputy Mayor of Pukekohe, president of Pukekohe Jaycees in 1962, member of the Pukekohe High School Board of Governors and member of a Rotary Group Study exchange team which toured overseas.

He entered parliament in 1972 representing Franklin. In 1974 he was made Junior Opposition Whip and in 1975 became Senior Government Whip in the National Government.

He was chairman of the Public Expenditure Select Committee 1975-77. Between 1978 and 1984 he was Minister of Energy, Minister of Regional Development, Minister of National Development and Minister of Science and Technology.

During this period he was responsible for the development and implementation of National's growth strategies, which led to NewZealand increasing its self- sufficiency in liquid fuels from a mere 8 percent to the current level of over 60 percent.

Sir William has represented New Zealand at meetings of the International Energy Agency in Paris which he chaired in 1984. He was Opposition spokesman for Finance 1985-86.

Following the 1990 general election he was appointed Minister of Labour, State Services, Immigration and Pacific Island Affairs. He was also responsible for the Accident Compensation Corporation.

As Minister of Labour, Sir William introduced far-reaching reforms to the New Zealand labour market through the Employment ContractsAct. He also reformed New Zealand's immigration policy and accident compensation scheme.

In October 1991 he relinquished the Pacific Island Affairs portfolio and became Minister of Employment. For the next two years hepresided over a period of falling unemployment and assisted in creating an industry-wide skill training strategy.

Following a Cabinet reshuffle in March 1993, Sir William was appointed Minister of Health and was responsible for implementing majorreforms to the public health service. At this time he relinquished the Labour and Immigration portfolios he had held since 1990.

After the 1993 general election Sir William was appointed Minister of Finance. As the third ranked Minister in Cabinet, he has overseenthe dramatic improvement in the Government's fiscal position, and New Zealand's improved growth and employment performance. He was also responsible for the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, a land mark piece of legislation to enforce transparencyand accountability in maintaining good fiscal management.

He is married to Rosa and they have a family of four children.