Cullen retires from politics, joins NZ Post
Former Finance Minister Michael Cullen is leaving politics and has been appointed deputy chairman of New Zealand Post and its subsidiary KiwiBank.
Dr Cullen announced his retirement from politics this afternoon. Shortly after, State Owned Enterprises Minister Simon Power announced a number of new board appointments.
Dr Cullen replaces Ken Douglas at NZ Post, which is chaired by former Prime Minister Jim Bolger. Dr Cullen is expected to take over from Mr Bolger who is due to retire from chair this month.
"I welcome all new appointees," Mr Power says. "I look forward to working with all the SOE boards."
Dr Cullen was second on the Labour list at the last election and his retirement sees former West Coast MP Damian O’Connor coming back into the House.
Dr Cullen has been an MP since 1981 and held the seat of St Kilda (subsequently renamed Dunedin South) until 1999, when he moved to the Labour list.
He held the posts of deputy prime minister and minister of finance throughout the second and third terms of the 1999-2008 Labour government.
In the 1984-90 Labour government he was chief whip before holding the portfolios of social welfare, associate finance and accident compensation.
EDIT: This story has been updated to clarify Dr Cullen's position of deputy prime minister, which he held throughout Labour's second and third terms in power, not the entire nine years as initially reported.
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Comments and questions23
you have to be joking. Kiwi bank. the guy actually doesn't know enough about finance to be in charge of a piggy bank.
As a Dr in history he should of studied financial history as everything he has done is wrong.
his Financial IQ is lacking & anything he is involved with is likely to fail as people are now finding with kiwi saver , the 'Cullen' fund etc
Put him in charge of the one that has caused the most angst and Cullen's culpability and ommission the ACC. THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE, EXCEPT KIWI RAIL IS EVEN MORE TEMPTING lest we forget.
Put him in charge of his train set and make him accountable so that his salary is directly related to profit! That way we won't have to pay him for years!!
Yup, that Kiwisavers a real shocker, and the superannuation fund, you're right, let the grandkids poay for us, that'll teach them. Let me guess Ken, a baby boomer? Everything for nothing and then expect everyone after you to pay. Sell it all to fund yourself.
Seems NZ has been reasonably placed to ride out "the great recession". Must have been luck perhaps.
I see he has got the Post Office appointment seems ironical its the only govt dept he didnt stuff up?I will give it time,or is it only a matter of time.
Any dummy knows that our grandchildren are or will be born into a world of technogly provided by their ancestors ,sorry P WIN.
You have got to be kidding.
First we have Key's effusive praise of Clark then this
National is rapidly going down the toilet from the point of view of ethical behaviour
This guy is a total loser and they are putting him in charge of NZ Post a government department whose performance leaves a terrible lot to be desired.
He should be consigned to the oblivion he so richly deserves
Shame on you Simon Power!
So the "new broom" National-led government that was going to slash wasteful bureaucratic appointments still arranges taxpayer-funded jobs for the Parliamentary boys and girls who have already done nicely out of the taxpayer with their Parliamentary salaries, pensions and perks.
National represents continuation of the despicable tradition of governments finding cushy "post-retirement" political appointment rorts for entitlement mentality ex-Parliamentary parasites.
Why can't NZ Post and KiwiBank have deputy chairman (and chairman for that matter) appointed on the basis of professional merit and proven success in business?
But why should we care? It is only ordinary taxpayers footing the bill after all, and they're just serfs in the eyes of Labour and National.
Plus ca change.
Looks like Cullen mispelt his skill as a "banker" on the application form.
He must have written a b instead of w
How dare they...Key and the Nats have cynically sold out the whole country. What ratbags... Clark and Cullen between them ran it into the ground and so they're richly rewarded by National.
Make no mistake - this appointment came from Key, not Power - only through Power. Does John-boy have appalling judgment, or does he simply lack any principles? The country resoundingly rejected Clark and Cullen, and did not trust entrust Key to form a new government to feather his own next in the years ahead. He has betrayed it..
I just don't believe what I have just read, the sanctimonious duffer is a looser, and they put hin in charge, of one of the few SOE's, that makes a buck, well the wtiting is on the wall now, down she will go, like a concrete parachute, I thought the train set, was purposely bought for him, to oversee the squillions, that are going to go down the drain.
On the plus side, the gruesome twosome are just about out of our lives....
Cheers.
Wills.
Cullen has limited if any skills maybe he is good at misleading the public.... what a joke
Like many others i shall be pulling my life savings out of KIWIBANK and back into a kangaroo bank.
What ever country you are in the Financial/political cabal are all parasites.
I have had my reservations about what National’s principles are, I have no reservations now, they have confirmed for me once and for all - they haven’t a clue what they stand for!
Certainly not here for the good of our nation!
I can't believe the small minded, bitter and ignorant comments from people. The Dr has skills, let's put them to good use!
Cullen go away...
Cullen go away
Anderton was Deputy PM in the first term - 1999-2002 - not Cullen.
National complained constantly about Cullen's ineptitude, corruption, and deception. And now he has been rewarded.
I voted National, I wanted a new NZ, progressive, that believed success was not a dirty word. And now this happens. National has lost a lot of credibility in my eyes.
Surely there are better qualified, honest people available for this role?
If the guy had an ounce of integrity and initiative he would have got completely off the public teat and started up his own bank.
With the "knowledge", "skills" and "networks" his proponents bestow on him it would be a huge success.
Ah, but no he does not do that, I wonder why?
Just one more cog on the parasitic side of the economy. The productive side of the economy groans wearily on.
What an absolute crock, just when we thought the Nats were on our side. Just shows everyone that all politicians are cut from the same cloth and therein lies the old boys network alive and well. Its the same when Bush was president, he had no real opposistion, Pelosi was in bed with him. he knows very little about business ( except how to extract money from them via Government control. Yes the Nats have made one of their first major mistakes. First they slammed him for bad deals , next they promote him.
Heaven help NZ (Post) if Cullen brings his Mugabe-style communism to NZ Post, like he did with Auck Airport shares !!!!!!
I have never voted for Labour , and I have not voted for National for 25 years.
I may be elderly now but have not been stupid for 25 years.
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