New Zealand Listener Power List
The New Zealand Listener Power List is a list of the most powerful people in New Zealand, compiled annually by the New Zealand Listener from 2004 to 2009. From 2004 to 2007, the list covered the 50 most powerful people without separating them by field. In 2008, the list was divided into the top ten most powerful, and ten lists of five or six people each in specific fields.
Power List
| Name | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Key – Prime Minister 2008–, Leader of the Opposition 2006–2008 | ~ | 09 | 09 | 03 | 01 | 01 |
| Bill English – Deputy Prime Minister 2008–, Deputy Leader of the Opposition 2006–2008 | ~ | ~ | ~ | 05 | 02 | 02 |
| Dr Alan Bollard – Reserve Bank Governor | 04 | 04 | 10 | 06 | 03 | 03 |
| Rodney Hide – ACT New Zealand leader | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | 07 | 04 |
| Steven Joyce – National Party campaign chief | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | 05 | 05 |
| Rob Fyfe – Air New Zealand CEO | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | 06 |
| Michael Stiassny – Vector Energy chairman, receiver | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | 07 |
| Tariana Turia – Māori Party co-leader | 18 | 20 | ~ | ~ | ~ | 08 |
John Whitehead – Secretary of the Treasury |
35 | 24 | ~ | ~ | ~ | 09 |
| Sir Peter Jackson – filmmaker | 02 | 05 | 06 | ~ | ~ | 10 |
| Phil Goff – Leader of the Opposition (2008–) | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | 11 |
| Sir Tuwharetoa iwi |
~ | ~ | 07 | 13 | 04 | [Note 1] |
| Dr Māori Party co-leader |
~ | 19 | 15 | 09 | 06 | [Note 1] |
| Helen Clark – Prime Minister 1999–2008 | 01 | 01 | 01 | 01 | 08 | ~ |
| Dr Michael Cullen – Deputy Prime Minister 2002–2008, Finance Minister 1999–2008 | 03 | 02 | 03 | 02 | 09 | ~ |
| Gareth Morgan – economist | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | 10 | [Note 2] |
TradeMe |
20 | 25 | 04 | 04 | ~ | ~ |
All Black coach |
13 | 14 | 23 | 07 | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Henry van der Heyden – Chairman, Fonterra | 45 | ~ | ~ | 08 | [Note 3] | ~ |
| Sir Geoffrey Palmer – Law Commission President | ~ | ~ | ~ | 10 | [Note 4] | ~ |
| John Barnett – television and film director | ~ | ~ | 27 | 11 | [Note 5] | ~ |
| Lloyd Morrison – Managing Director, Infratil | ~ | 49 | 20 | 12 | ~ | ~ |
| Dr Keith Turner – Chief Executive, Meridian Energy | ~ | 42 | 12 | 14 | ~ | ~ |
| Peter Talley – businessman | ~ | ~ | 33 | 15 | ~ | [Note 3] |
Weta Workshop head |
~ | ~ | ~ | 16 | [Note 6] | ~ |
Commerce Commission Chairman |
~ | ~ | 14 | 17 | ~ | ~ |
| Sue Bradford – politician | ~ | ~ | ~ | 18 | ~ | [Note 7] |
| Professor Sir Paul Callaghan – Director of the MacDiarmid Institute |
31 | 39 | 28 | 19 | ~ | ~ |
| Dr Andy West – CEO of AgResearch | ~ | 45 | 34 | 20 | [Note 3] | ~ |
| Jeanette Fitzsimons – politician | ~ | ~ | ~ | 21 | [Note 2] | ~ |
| Sir Stephen Tindall – founder of The Warehouse | 17 | 26 | ~ | 22 | ~ | ~ |
| John Palmer – Air New Zealand chairman | ~ | ~ | ~ | 23 | ~ | [Note 8] |
| Heather Simpson – Prime Minister's Chief of Staff 1999–2008 | 33 | 21 | 24 | 24 | ~ | ~ |
New Zealand Exchange CEO |
~ | ~ | ~ | 25 | [Note 8] | ~ |
| Willie Jackson – broadcaster | ~ | ~ | ~ | 26 | ~ | ~ |
| Craig Norgate – former leader of Fonterra, current leader of Wrightson | ~ | 29 | ~ | 27 | [Note 8] | ~ |
Allan Hubbard – Chair of South Canterbury Finance |
~ | 41 | 18 | 28 | ~ | [Note 3] |
| Graeme Hart – businessman, owner of the Rank Group | 44 | 06 | 02 | 29 | [Note 8] | ~ |
| Phil O'Reilly – Business New Zealand leader | ~ | ~ | 46 | 30 | ~ | [Note 8] |
| Campbell Smith – Recording Industry Association of New Zealand chief executive |
~ | ~ | ~ | 31 | [Note 6] | ~ |
Sky Television Chief executive |
~ | 11 | 05 | 32 | [Note 5] | ~ |
| Tony Carter – Foodstuffs managing directory | ~ | ~ | ~ | 33 | ~ | ~ |
| Ian Wishart – Investigate magazine editor | ~ | ~ | 29 | 34 | ~ | ~ |
TV3 news director |
~ | ~ | ~ | 35 | ~ | ~ |
| Oscar Kightley – television and film directory and writer | ~ | ~ | 36 | 36 | ~ | ~ |
| Professor Bill Manhire – poet | ~ | ~ | ~ | 37 | ~ | ~ |
David Bain campaigner |
~ | ~ | ~ | 38 | ~ | ~ |
New Zealand Rugby Union Chairman |
~ | ~ | 22 | 39 | ~ | ~ |
Andrew Little – General Secretary, Engineering Manufacturing and Printing Union |
38 | 30 | ~ | 40 | ~ | ~ |
| Nick Hill – Sport and Recreation New Zealand Chief Executive |
~ | ~ | ~ | 41 | ~ | ~ |
| Jeremy Moon – founder of Icebreaker | ~ | ~ | ~ | 42 | ~ | ~ |
| Jenny Morel – venture capitalist | ~ | ~ | ~ | 43 | ~ | [Note 9] |
| Justice Joe Williams – Waitangi Tribunal Chair and Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court | ~ | ~ | ~ | 44 | ~ | ~ |
| David Skilling – New Zealand Institute thinktank founder | ~ | ~ | 45 | 45 | ~ | ~ |
| Paul Morgan – Federation of Māori Authorities chief executive | ~ | ~ | ~ | 46 | ~ | ~ |
| Professor Graeme Fraser – Chair, Health Research Council | ~ | 48 | 48 | 47 | ~ | ~ |
| Grant Dalton – America's Cup Team Boss | ~ | ~ | ~ | 48 | ~ | ~ |
| Shane Jones – Labour Party MP | 09 | 23 | ~ | 49 | ~ | ~ |
| Mai Chen – lawyer | ~ | ~ | ~ | 50 | ~ | ~ |
| Dr Don Brash – Leader of the Opposition 2003–2006 | 06 | 03 | 08 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Andrew Ferrier – Fonterra CEO | ~ | ~ | 11 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Kevin Brady – Auditor-General | ~ | ~ | 13 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Trevor Mallard – Minister of Economic Development, Industry and Regional Development, and Sport | 19 | 16 | 16 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Tim Murphy – The New Zealand Herald editor | ~ | ~ | 17 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Edmund Hillary – mountaineer | 14 | 13 | 19 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Dame Sian Elias – Chief Justice | 28 | 28 | 21 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Tiwana Tibble – Ngāti Whātua CEO | ~ | ~ | 25 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir TVNZ Chairman and New Zealand Cricket Chair |
~ | 12 | 26 | ~ | ~ | [Note 7] |
| Julie Christie – Managing Director, Eyeworks | ~ | ~ | 30 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Chair |
~ | ~ | 31 | ~ | ~ | [Note 8] |
| Garth McVicar – Sensible Sentencing Trust founder | ~ | ~ | 32 | ~ | ~ | [Note 4] |
| Professor Stuart McCutcheon – University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor | ~ | 34 | 35 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Murray Deaker – radio host | ~ | 37 | 37 | ~ | ~ | [Note 5] |
| June Jackson – Manukau Urban Māori Authority head | ~ | ~ | 38 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Ian Athfield – architect | ~ | ~ | 39 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Kerry Prendergast – Mayor of Wellington | ~ | 31 | 40 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Trelise Cooper – fashion designer | 36 | ~ | 41 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Mark Solomon – Chair, Te Runanga O Ngāi Tahu |
~ | 46 | 42 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Sport and Recreation New Zealand Chairman |
~ | ~ | 43 | ~ | [Note 10] | ~ |
| Peter Boshier – Principal Family Court Judge | ~ | ~ | 44 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Kaye Parker – Cure Kids fundraiser | ~ | ~ | 47 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Ralph Hotere – artist | 34 | 43 | 49 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry |
~ | 38 | 50 | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Winston Peters – New Zealand First leader, Foreign Affairs Minister 2005–2008 | 16 | 07 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Theresa Gattung – former Telecom New Zealand CEO | 21 | 08 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Brent Impey – Canwest Mediaworks CEO | 24 | 10 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Michael Campbell – golfer | ~ | 15 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Dr Roderick Deane – company director, Telecom, ANZ and Fletcher Building | 07 | 17 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| John Campbell – television presenter | ~ | 18 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Tana Umaga – All Black captain | 15 | 22 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| John Belgrave – Chief Ombudsman | 50 | 27 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Peter Dunne – United Future leader, Minister of Revenue | ~ | 32 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Dr Mark Prebble – State Services Commissioner | 40 | 33 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Brotha D – frontman for Dawn Raid | ~ | 35 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Rob McLeod – Business Roundtable chair | 12 | 36 | ~ | ~ | ~ | [Note 1] |
| Frances Stead – Managing Director, L'Oreal New Zealand | ~ | 40 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Hugh Kawharu – Paramount Chief of the Ngati Whatua |
~ | 44 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Eion Edgar – stockbroker | 47 | 47 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Steve Maharey – Minister of Education, Broadcasting, Science and Research | ~ | 50 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Ian Fraser – then CEO of Television New Zealand | 05 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Ralph Norris – then CEO of Air New Zealand | 08 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| John Tamihere – then Labour Party MP and former Cabinet Minister | 10 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Tipene O'Regan – former leader of Ngāi Tahu | 11 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sarah Ulmer – Olympic gold medal cyclist | 22 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Scribe – rap artist | 23 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Stephen Fleming – Black Caps cricket captain | 25 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Paul Holmes – broadcaster | 26 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Tahu Potiki – CEO of Te Runanga O Ngāi Tahu | 27 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| David Butler – Commissioner of Inland Revenue Department | 29 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Dame Te Atairangi Kaahu – Maori Queen |
30 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sylvia Rumball – Chair, National Ethics Committee on Assisted Human Reproduction | 32 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Mike Williams – President of the New Zealand Labour Party |
37 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| David Skegg – Vice-Chancellor, University of Otago | 39 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Peter Leitch – The Mad Butcher |
41 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Dame Jenny Gibbs – art patron | 42 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Hugh Logan – Director-General of the Department of Conservation | 43 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Sir Kenneth Keith – Supreme Court Justice | 46 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Richard Woods – Director, New Zealand Security Intelligence Service | 48 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Marc Ellis – television personality |
49 | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Divisions
Business and economy
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Graeme Hart – businessman, owner of Rank Group | 01 | 01 |
| Sam Knowles – Chief Executive of Kiwibank | ~ | 02 |
| Phil O'Reilly – Business New Zealand CEO | ~ | 03 |
| John Palmer – Air New Zealand chairman | ~ | 04 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Chair |
~ | 05 |
| Adrian Orr – CEO of New Zealand Superannuation Fund management company | 02 | ~ |
New Zealand Exchange CEO |
03 | ~ |
| Craig Norgate – former leader of Fonterra, current leader of Wrightson | 04 | ~ |
| 05 | ~ |
Māoridom
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Tuwharetoa iwi |
~ | 01 |
| Dr Māori Party co-leader |
~ | 01 |
| Rob McLeod – Business Roundtable chair | ~ | 03 |
| Hone Kaa – Te Kahui Mana Ririki chair and campaigner against child abuse | ~ | 04 |
Katerina Mataira – Māori language revival pioneer |
~ | 05 |
| Paul Morgan – CEO of Federation of Maori Authorities | 01 | ~ |
Māori Television |
02 | [Note 5] |
| Wharehuia Milroy – linguist | 03 | ~ |
| Hinerangi Raumati – CFO of Tainui | 04 | ~ |
| Willie Jackson – radio and television broadcaster | 05 | ~ |
Government and law
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Simon Power – Minister of Justice | ~ | 01 |
| Sir Geoffrey Palmer – Law Commission President | 01 | 02 |
| Judith Collins – Minister of Corrections and Minister of Police | ~ | 03 |
| Rob Cameron – investment banker | ~ | 04 |
| Garth McVicar – Sensible Sentencing Trust founder | ~ | 05 |
Solicitor-General |
02 | ~ |
| Annette Sykes – Te Arawa lawyer | 03 | ~ |
| Greg King – criminal lawyer | 04 | ~ |
| Greg O'Connor – President of the Police Association | 05 | ~ |
Primary sector
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Kelly – CEO of Landcorp | 01 | 01 |
| Sir Henry van der Heyden – Chairman, Fonterra | 02 | 02 |
| Peter Talley and Andrew Talley – businessmen | ~ | 03 |
Allan Hubbard – Chair of South Canterbury Finance |
~ | 04 |
| Keith Cooper – Former Chief Executive of Silver Fern Farms | ~ | 05 |
| Andy West – CEO of AgResearch | 03 | ~ |
| Frank Brenmuhl – Vice-President of Federated Farmers | 04 | ~ |
| Dean Nikora – Hawke's Bay farmer | 05 | ~ |
Health, education and social issues
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Ryall – Minister of Health | ~ | 01 |
| Sue Bradford – activist | ~ | 02 |
| Sir District Health Board Chairman |
~ | 03 |
| Rod Carr – University of Canterbury Vice-Chancellor | ~ | 04 |
| Nigel Latta – child psychologist | ~ | 05 |
| Ron Paterson – Health and Disability Commissioner | 01 | ~ |
| Stephen McKernan – Director-General of Health | 02 | ~ |
| Len Cook – Chairman of the Medical Training Board | 03 | ~ |
District Health Board |
04 | ~ |
| Deborah Powell – General Secretary, Resident Doctors' Association | 05= | ~ |
| Ian Powell – Executive Director, Association of Salaried Medical Specialists | 05= | ~ |
Culture
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
Weta Workshop head |
03 | 01 |
| Flight of the Conchords – television comedy duo | 01 | 02 |
| John Barnett – chief executive at South Pacific Pictures | ~ | 03 |
New Zealand on Air |
~ | 04 |
| Campbell Smith – Recording Industry Association of New Zealand chief executive |
04 | 05 |
| Derek Lardelli – artist | 02 | ~ |
| Imogen Johnson – actors' agent | 05 | ~ |
Science and technology
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Gluckman – Chief Science Advisor | 03 | 01 |
| Shaun Coffey – Industrial Research Limited chief executive | ~ | 02 |
| Rod Drury – entrepreneur | ~ | 03 |
| Stephen Goldson – Chief Scientist at AgResearch | 04 | 04 |
| Jenny Morel – venture capitalist | ~ | 05 |
Jim Watson – Chair of the National Science Panel |
01 | ~ |
Royal Society of New Zealand |
02 | ~ |
| Jim Anderton – Fast Forward fund promoter | 05 | ~ |
Media
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
Sky Television Chief executive |
04 | 01 |
Māori Television |
~ | 02 |
| John Armstrong – columnist at The New Zealand Herald | ~ | 03 |
David Farrar – blogger |
~ | 04 |
| Murray Deaker – radio host | ~ | 05 |
The Dominion Post |
01 | ~ |
Television New Zealand |
02 | ~ |
| Bill Francis – General Manager at Newstalk ZB | 03 | ~ |
| John Barnett – chief executive at South Pacific Pictures | 05 | [Note 6] |
Environment
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Smith – Minister for the Environment | ~ | 01 |
| Gareth Morgan – economist and author | ~ | 02 |
| George Clement – fisheries consultant | ~ | 03 |
Plant and Food Research scientist |
~ | 04 |
| Gary Taylor – executive director, Environmental Defence Society | ~ | 05 |
| David Parker – Minister responsible for the Emissions Trading Act | 01 | ~ |
| Jeanette Fitzsimons – co-leader of the Green Party | 02 | ~ |
| Russel Norman – co-leader of the Green Party | 03 | ~ |
| Jan Wright – Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment | 04 | ~ |
| David Wratt – leader of the National Climate Centre at NIWA | 05 | ~ |
Sport
| Name | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Snedden – Rugby New Zealand CEO | ~ | 01 |
Black Caps captain |
~ | 02 |
All Whites coach |
~ | 03 |
Valerie Vili – World shot put champion |
04 | 04 |
| Peter Dale – New Zealand Community Trust chairman | ~ | 05 |
Sport and Recreation New Zealand Chairman |
01 | ~ |
| Scott Dixon – Indianapolis 500 winner | 02 | ~ |
Steve Price – Captain of the New Zealand Warriors |
03 | ~ |
| Alan Isaac – Chairman, New Zealand Cricket | 05 | ~ |
Notes
- ^ a b c Moved to the Māoridom list
- ^ a b Moved to the Environment list
- ^ a b c d Moved to the Primary sector list
- ^ a b Moved to the Government and law list
- ^ a b c d Moved to the Media list
- ^ a b c Moved to the Culture list
- ^ a b Moved to the Health, education and social issues list
- ^ a b c d e f Moved to the Business and economy list
- ^ Moved to the Science and technology list
- ^ Moved to the Sport list