Todd Talks By Todd Muller

Watching John Key and Bill English in action these last couple of weeks, it's hard not to feel we have two of the better leaders in charge of New Zealand at such a critical time.

If NZ was an aeroplane then the Prime Minister and his deputy would be pretty good pilots. We have had our fair share of turbulence since 2008 from world recessions to what are beginning to feel like endless earthquakes. But unlike other leaders – or pilots if you will – of other nations, who are responding with ever drastic policy responses and community reactions, our captains have guided us through with measured, competent course adjustments, that have minimised disruption, and in my view ensured we have arrived at a better than what when we left.

Of course with political destinations, you never arrive. There is always much to do, particularly in infrastructure and services to support our growing community. But it is worth taking just a moment to reflect on the choices that we now have in front of us.

Through collective effort of everyone and supported by competent leadership, we have the ability to invest more locally, retire debt nationally and ensure Bay families feel their personal situation is improving in step with the country. Governing the country in the same way as we run our lives locally – it's the day-to-day, small, at times imperceptible, improvements that sum up genuine improvement. Not for me, the wild lurches based on sensational rhetoric that other countries have chosen.

I sense you might feel the same.