Hon Dr Michael Cullen
Minister of Finance

20 December 2006 Media Statement

Key – Treasury poodle?

Finance Minister Michael Cullen said Mr Key's statement today on how a government should action its priorities shows how inexperienced and dangerous a National-led government would be.

"Key has said it is a constitutional outrage for a government to set its own priorities," said Dr Cullen. This tells us two things; one, Mr Key has no idea how the government works especially in a democracy. The government is elected by the people and on the basis of that electoral mandate, sets the priorities.

"Secondly, it tells us if Mr Key ever got the chance to be Prime Minister he would allow himself to be led by Treasury and it would be back to the nineties with its slogan, 'Cut out the middleman – vote Treasury'.

"It shows the real contrast between a Labour-led government with clear principles and a sense of direction and National which has no ideas of its own and doesn't mind being led by others," said Dr Cullen.

ENDS

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