ash ▁was ▁Governor ▁of ▁the ▁Reserve ▁Bank ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁general ▁election ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁National ▁under ▁Br ash ' s ▁leadership ▁made ▁major ▁g ains ▁and ▁achieved ▁what ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁party ' s ▁best ▁result ▁since ▁the ▁institution ▁of ▁the ▁mixed - member ▁proportional ▁elect oral ▁system ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁compared ▁with ▁their ▁worst ▁result ▁ever ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁his ▁prede cess or , ▁Bill ▁English . ▁Final ▁results ▁placed ▁National ▁two ▁seats ▁behind ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Labour ▁Party , ▁with ▁National ▁unable ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁majority ▁from ▁the ▁minor ▁parties ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁gover ning ▁coal ition . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Br ash ▁res igned ▁as ▁National ▁Party ▁Le ader , ▁and ▁then ▁from ▁Parliament ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁an ▁Ad j unct ▁Professor ▁of ▁Bank ing ▁in ▁the ▁Business ▁School ▁at ▁the ▁A uck land ▁University ▁of ▁Technology , ▁and ▁an ▁Ad j unct ▁Professor ▁in ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Econom ics ▁and ▁Fin ance ▁at ▁La ▁Tro be ▁University ▁in ▁Melbourne , ▁Australia . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Br ash ▁became ▁the ▁Le ader ▁of ▁A CT ▁New ▁Zealand