Star MP’s light had dimmed

Opinion: As far as political resignations go, Steven Joyce’s was far from Parliament’s most brutal. The senior National Party MP chose his moment and there was no apparent whiff of blood in the water before he did.

But Joyce did not get to go out on top after his failed leadership bid that saw him lose to Simon Bridges and the apparent confirmation he would not be retaining his finance portfolio.

It’s not the saddest end to a career like his – many political giants have gone out in worse circumstances.

But Joyce’s star had fallen in the party, despite his success as campaign manager since 2005, despite the trust former prime ministers Sir John Key and Bill English placed in him as their ‘‘Mr Fix-It’’, and despite the air of economic credibility he carried with voters.

Years of micro-managing and the perception (of some caucus members at least) that he did little to support the ideas of others caught up with him.

Joyce is a talented politician and his record proves it. He takes with him a wealth of knowledge and, to his credit, gave what seemed to be a genuine offer to make that available should National ever need assistance.

He also made a significant contribution to business and the lives of lower-income Kiwis in his last Budget – even if many of the ideas from his Families Package are to be enacted by the new Government.

Joyce left graciously. Yet the suggestion hangs that it’s a sad ending.

Bridges had offered him a front-bench position but he would not retain finance. He faced a demotion and it was never going to be characterised any other way.

But the jovial face of the party’s economic policy has opportunities outside of politics. During his time in various ministerial roles, Joyce will undoubtedly have ticked up options in the commercial sector.

He may not have been forcibly pushed from National but, really, the party left him with very few reasons to stay.

It’s also hard to shake the feeling that Bridges – a new leader eager to make his own mark – won’t be overly fazed by the departure.