TRANS-TASMAN POLITICAL LETTER
For Immediate Release
Cullen To Chair NZ Post And Kiwibank
Political newsletter Trans-Tasman reports the Government will offer former Deputy PM and Finance Minister Michael Cullen
the post of Chairman of the Board of NZ Post and its subsidiary Kiwibank, succeeding Jim Bolger who is due to retire
this month. Cullen is announcing his retirement from Parliament today.
Earlier there had been speculation he would be offered the post of Chairman of Mighty River Power, but this might have
conflicted with his role of advocate for iwi in Treaty of Waitangi negotiations. Dr Cullen's resignation rounds off an
outstanding Parliamentary career, which began when he was elected as MP for St Kilda in 1981, the same year Helen Clark
entered the House.
His term as Minister of Finance was distinguished by the huge fiscal surpluses he racked up, the repayment of debt, and
the creation of the NZ Superannuation Fund. He also bought back a majority stake in Air NZ, and in effect
re-nationalised the railways.
ENDS