Steven Joyce
Steven Joyce MP | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Transport | |
| Assumed office 19 November 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | John Key |
| Preceded by | Annette King |
| Minister for Communications and Information Technology | |
| Assumed office 19 November 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | John Key |
| Preceded by | David Cunliffe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 April 1963 |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Political party | National Party |
| Occupation | Broadcasting entrepreneur |
Steven Joyce (born 7 April 1963), a New Zealand politician, entered the New Zealand House of Representatives in 2008 as a member of the New Zealand National Party. In the same year he became Minister of Transport and Minister for Communications and Information Technology.
As a broadcasting entrepreneur with RadioWorks he became a self-made millionaire before he entered politics.
Joyce's parents worked as grocers.[1] He went to school at Francis Douglas Memorial College, before enrolling at Massey University, applying to study veterinary science. However he "missed the cut",[2] graduating instead with a BSc in zoology. While at university he worked as a presenter and programme director on student radio.[3] After leaving university Joyce and a group of friends (including radio presenter Jeremy Corbett) started their own radio station, Energy FM, in New Plymouth.[2][3] With business partners, he built up RadioWorks over the next seventeen years, both organically and by acquisition, to a network of 22 radio stations and 650 staff. He retired as Managing Director of RadioWorks in April 2001, when CanWest purchased it, Joyce receiving $6 million for the sale.[3]
After RadioWorks he joined the National Party, working as their campaign manager in both the 2005 and the 2008 general elections. He also served as CEO of Jasons Travel Media for two years until 2008.
After the National Party announced on 28 July 2008 that Joyce would stand as a National Party list-only candidate (16th on the party list), the then Prime Minister Helen Clark criticised him as a "Hollow Man" featuring as a key background player in Nicky Hager's 2006 book The Hollow Men.[4] With the formation of a National Party minority government in 2008, the new Prime Minister John Key appointed Joyce to two cabinet portfolios: Transport, and Communications and Information, in his first term as an MP.[5]
Joyce lives in Albany in the north of Auckland with his wife Suzanne and daughter Amelia, on a seven-acre lifestyle block.[2]
References
- ^ "Former campaign boss the bolter in Key's Cabinet". New Zealand Herald. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
- ^ a b c Roughan, John (16 October 2008). "A word with... Steven Joyce". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
- ^ a b c Dudding, Adam (16 November 2008). "Key's six million dollar man - Steven Joyce". Sunday Star Times. Archived from the original on 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
- ^ "New National list candidate 'Hollow Man', says Clark". New Zealand Herald. 28 July 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
- ^ Thomas, Ben (17 November 2008). "Key gives business portfolios to safe hands". National Business Review. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
External links
- Steven Joyce at the New Zealand Parliament
- National Party biography