Cullen refuses to debate tax
June 30th, 2005 at 6:46 am by David FarrarOnce upon a time nothing would have kept Dr Cullen away from a good debate, but alas he is too busy to take part in tonight’s one hour tax debate.
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Once upon a time nothing would have kept Dr Cullen away from a good debate, but alas he is too busy to take part in tonight’s one hour tax debate.
No tag for this post.
June 30th, 2005 at 8:53 am
Very very interesting. That old West Coast alibi. He could be in Wellington in time to do a hook-up. Oh well the 9th floor thinks otherwise so they lie about why he is not coming. Cullen will not front so they put up their telegenic Maharey to explain why the Labour Party wants to put families on welfare and freeze their incomes.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 9:36 am
Excellent – Gummint TV has advertised that Cullen will front all week and now he is a no show – so will not be able to defend / attack – I suppose he was between a rock (packet of chewing gum and) and a hard place (Brash) – an excellent opportunity to have a one hour advertisement for the National Party and ACT – Rodney Hide is on the debate as well as Gordon Copeland.
Smarmy Maharey – well hopefully someone will toss in that one of his answers is just well – Smarmy.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 9:49 am
Cullens a big girls blouse Hes running scared cause he cant defend the indefensible.Looking fwd to seeing the Sensible Parties Nats and ACT demolishing the dopey Socialists
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 10:15 am
It’s a long, slow, wet slide Labour. And the dark hole at the bottom looks like the opposition benches.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 11:07 am
The Government has realised Cullen’s last budget was an almighty PR debacle so no point reminding the viewing public who was to blame. Clearly Clark and the ninth floor have decided to cut Cullen loose and see whether Minister Smarmy Maharey can pull the wool over our eyes…
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 11:47 am
If Cullen really wanted to be involved in the tax programme then he would be there. After all this is the government who charters planes (with or without doors)at the drop of a hat. The more I think about it the more I think that those Auckland rumours about David Cunliffe thinking he will have a greater role in the finance portfolios might be true. Perhaps the PM is rehearsing replacement Ministers of Finance?
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 12:10 pm
Well, what would you choose for Cullen: a carefully stage-managed photo op or risk Der Cullenator serving up a “charm offensive, hold the charm” on live television?
I know my choice, but I think Labour wants to win this election.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 12:46 pm
Maybe Dr Cullen is not fronting up because of the ‘Cullen Issue’
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 12:52 pm
I agree Kowhaikiwi that he could easily make it if he wanted to. He could even get to Chch and participate from there as a backstop.
I like the theory of a new MoF, but surely not Maharey???
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 12:58 pm
What is this ‘Cullen Issue’ everyone seems to know about, except me?
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 1:33 pm
And me Gooner, but I have been told on this Blog it is not a matter that would affect NZ’s security so it must be a deeply embarrassing personal matter. Well we have all had those.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 1:34 pm
And me Gooner, but I have been told on this Blog it is not a matter that would affect NZ’s security so it must be a deeply embarrassing personal matter. Well we have all had those.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Big deal then Tim.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 2:06 pm
Well Maharey wouldn’t be my first pick for Minister of Finance – god only knows he has wreaked enough chaos in social policy. But you do have to ask the question why the ninth floor has decided, in their infinite wisdom, why Maharey should be the replacement tonight. After all isn’t Mallard the Associate Minister of Finance – why isn’t he fronting up if Cullen can’t? Or maybe it is just because Maharey spends more of our taxes than anybody else dishing out all those billions of dollars in benefits…
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 2:29 pm
Maharey fronting is a sure sign Labour want to push the benefits of WFF. They will want to argue that tax cuts cannot deliver as much to certain families as this govt hand out could. It makes sense from their perspective.
It has shown though in my opinion that Labour know the “tax cuts aren’t affordable” line just doesn’t cut it. If they still had faith in that line of reasoning then I’m sure they would wheel Cullen out in a flash.
Since the budget though Cullen has gone from being a pocket ace for Labour to a liability. He’s losing credibility economically.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 2:46 pm
Maybe Helen is brushing Cullen aside to make way for Winston in the new ‘clutching-at-straws’ Labour election strategy.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 2:50 pm
I suspect Maharry has been sent to front because can honestly answer “I don’t know” to the hard questions, afterall he has no Misiterial responsibility for the central issue up for debate (WFF is a not a taxation matter in my opinion).
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 3:13 pm
Maharey, sorry, poor typing skills!
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 3:36 pm
When there is a perplexing question about Labour you should always refer to the most reliable authority. Tamihere with the bit between his teeth. Now, what was it he said of Maharey? There you are you see! The answer just fell out onto the table. Maharey will occupy the debate for an hour and everybody will go away with three screeds of notes and be none the wiser.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 3:40 pm
If he really wants to make it he should ask if he can borrow some of the PM’s police chauffeurs.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 3:50 pm
Me thinks that members of the Labour government will be avoiding police motorcades for the forseeable future given how Clark has shafted the police officers trying to get HER to a plane so SHE could go see a game of rugby – even if she would rather have been curled up reading a book than watching NZ’s most well known sportsmen beat the Australians.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 4:53 pm
Im just looking forward to seeing the Smarmy One diced and sliced.Hope the other side are well prepared Like how many Working Families are actually getting how much out of the Smarmy Ones crock of shit compared to a tax cut?
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 5:52 pm
Who is the Maori Party putting up. Can you just imagine Harawira doing a job on Maharey? The ultimate train wreck.
Vote:June 30th, 2005 at 7:24 pm
I just wish that politicians were brighter.There are many Kiwis with great intelligence,none of whom have any ambition towards political life. Why is this?Why do we,at election time,have mainly dimwits or egoists to vote for?I will shamble over to the local booth again this year,
Vote:but I am not encouraged by the calibre of most of the candidates.Jeez,I’m cynical!
June 30th, 2005 at 10:43 pm
Gooner –
The only ‘Cullen Issue’ I’m aware of is that he tends to forget that the “lacerating wit” becomes less endearing the further away he is from the Press Gallery/Parliament. He becomes quite the prime prick when rattled.
Vote: