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Steven Joyce likes a good cappuccino, but insists on nothing sprinkled on the top. Surely, that's more of a latte then? But no, apparently with a layer of espresso, milk and froth it distinguishes itself easily from the infamous beverage. Joyce, a name more synonymous with Guiness and Leprechauns, is a jovial, sensible fellow. Since taking over the Tertiary Education portfolio from Anne Tolley last year, Joyce has made some controversial decisions – reducing the eligibility for mature students, cutting the holiday period for loan repayments from 3 years to 1 and so on. How have these actions affect you? Georgie Fenwicke aimed to find out the reasoning behind the moves and a bit about the man himself.

We are aware of the changes that have been made, can you explain the ministry's motivations behind the moves?
It starts from a position that we are spending a reasonably large amount on tertiary education, we are not the biggest but we spend a pretty goodly amount. We haven't got the money to spend on anymore because the country is, you know, debtwise.
 
In the wider sense, it is just about getting the best value for money and we have been able to put it back into Tertiary places, I mean we have more places at University now than we ever have before and we have got 8500 more than 2008 and we have no more money. So we have re-arranged some things and we have given people more opportunity to study.
 
On that point, do you think Tertiary education is for everyone?
No, not necessarily. I think many things aren't for everyone, but I think it is really important for many people. There is always that old debate: is it worth going to University? Too many people go to University. Particularly among some older New Zealanders, I think the test of that is quite simple, that people who go to University, on average, earn an income premium of about 60-70% of those that don't go. As long as that income premium is in place, you would say that obviously it is worth it. Then, on a personal level, the thing that University worked for me is that you go to University to learn how to learn and you come out with some skills and some facts and analyzing things and thinking about that.
 
Speaking of learning, was it a steep learning curve picking up this portfolio from Anne Tolley?
Yeah it was because my last association with the Tertiary education sector was in 1984 which was a year before I stopped enrolling. Obviously, I have been around the cabinet table when Tertiary Education was discussed so I was familiar with the broader issues, but it was a pretty steep immersion process. I think I created a new record in the number of briefings sent to a Tertiary Minister in my early days.
 
What was the record?
We got to around 120-130 pretty quickly. I don't know whether it was true or not, but there was word of what happened with my other portfolios to see if this sort of pace was going to continue.
 
Have you had any briefings on the aging population of teaching staff at Universities?
Not specifically, it has been raised in discussions with Vice-Chancellors at different times, not that many times, but I am aware of it. I think, firstly, it is an appropriate issue for the Universities to address. It is the responsibility of every organisation to make sure they are bringing people through and they are hiring new people. There are some policy settings that can change the size and we can look at that, but we have to acknowledge that they have to be involved to make sure they have the right balance.
 
Your maiden speech to Parliament is full of gusto and promise, now nearing the end of your first term, how would you describe your political outlook? Are you still as optimistic?
I am optimistic, yeah. It is a fascinating role and it is a real privilege to get to make some interesting calls and do some good things. I am very proud of some of the things we have done across the portfolios. I am proud of the progress we are making in road safety, I am proud of the investment we are making in transport and the Tertiary area. In a couple of years time when we have about 20% more graduates coming out of Universities than we had at the end of the previous government. Again, as I said with no additional money and after a long period of stagnation over 2000-2008 the number graduates remained the same.
 
You have said that a number of boardmembers of RadioWorks including Norton Moller, Derek Lowe and John Armstrong were your mentors throughout your management of the enterprise, what was the best advice you were given that has helped you in your role in both the private and public sectors?
I don't know if we got a particular piece of advice there. I think it was really good that they knew about running businesses because when we started we were really into running radio stations. We were a bit undisciplined initially and they were all about pay your bills, make sure there is money in the bank account, all that sort of stuff. They recognised before we did I think that you could grow the place, they did what a good board should do: they observed, gave advice and at the right time said we think you should expand a little.
 
After RadioWorks was sold to CanWest as the result of a corporate raid, are you more cautious or less trusting in the roles you undertake now?
I don't think you can be. That wasn't something I chose to see happen and at the time, I was disappointed, very disappointed.
 
Were you surprised?
Not completely, we had quite an open register. I was surprised at the timing and surprised at how it unfolded, but it was very disappointing at the time. It had become my baby and I wanted it to go and do other things, but things happen for a reason and I can think of so many things that wouldn't have happened if that hadn't occurred and I wouldn't want to change any of those things that happened subsequently. They happen for a reason and there is no use getting wound up about what doesn't go your way. I don't get too bound up in my own experience because we are all products of our own experiences, we can't get trapped by that experience.