RIP Michael Cullen

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, August 20th, 2021 - 15 comments
Categories: economy, kiwisaver, labour, uncategorized, workers' rights - Tags:

Very sad news that Michael Cullen former Deputy Prime Minister has died.

I have always thought that he was the best Prime Minister the country never had.

He was a huge intellect and very, very funny.  He also tended to say it the way he saw it and described John Key as a “Rich prick” and a “scumbag”.

He oversaw the introduction of Working for Families, Kiwisaver and the Cullen Fund as well as nine budgetary surpluses during three terms of MMP governments.

He gave this outstanding interview on Q&A shortly before his death.

Commiserations to his family.

15 comments on “RIP Michael Cullen ”

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  1. DB Brown 1
    20 August 2021 at 10:46 am

    My condolences to his family and friends, and NZ in general. A great man, a huge loss.

  2. Ad 2
    20 August 2021 at 12:28 pm

    Beat me to it Mickey.

    I've sent a slightly longer one.

  3. Byd0nz 3
    20 August 2021 at 12:31 pm

    He was a man of great service to NZ. His legacy will live on through his social initiatives. RIP.

  4. Stuart Munro 4
    20 August 2021 at 1:23 pm

    Probably the only NZ MP in the last century to understand economics to any degree – and atypically for that field, it made him concerned for the have nots. He will be missed – wish we'd had another dozen like him.

  5. millsy 5
    20 August 2021 at 1:27 pm

    I'm not so sure.

    It was Cullen and his desire to keep a lid on spending that led to the social problems we are now dealing with.

    He could have increased benefits, which would have avoided the huge blowout in poverty we are having at the moment. That is just one thing

    Overall he left Rogernomics and Ruthenasia intact, and bowed to continual demands for tax cuts from the media, even though our health and education system had the guts ripped out of them.

    KiwiSaver is basically the privatisation of pension benefits, while the Super Fund is probably unnecessary, and was only to ensure the age stays at 65.

    I don't think we was that great a Finance minister.

    • Nic the NZer 5.1
      20 August 2021 at 3:22 pm

      As you highlight the country as a whole can't have a shortage of funds. Any fiscal position taken by the country can only be judged by its untaken opportunities (to public spend) which resulted in those surpluses. In NZs case there was at the time also a secondary deregulated finance sector which was out of control, which is largely why the GFC impacted NZ at the end. Though as Covid-19 deficits show, surpluses at most slowed down the trajectory to full employment, rather than preparing the country for the bust.

      Still there were definitely better choices made by Cullens Labour over Keys national government where the surplus was pursued and atained by underfunding multiple public services which the country expected to be publicly funded.

    • Patricia Bremner 5.2
      20 August 2021 at 7:16 pm

      You are so far from the truth!! Millsy study the history. He increased family incomes and created a saving culture where none existed. He built up the Public Service and the Health budget for NZ and Health Minister Annette King, through 3 budget surpluses. The tax changes he made were minimal. I think you are thinking of Bill English.

    • Stuart Munro 5.3
      20 August 2021 at 10:52 pm

      He was pushing back pretty much solo. Half his cabinet colleagues drank Douglas's koolaid, and they must take some responsibility for the epic failure of everything connected with that worldview. Some of those fools are still there.

  6. Anker 6
    20 August 2021 at 5:11 pm

    Sad to hear of Michael Cullen's passing. RIP

  7. Jester 7
    21 August 2021 at 9:00 am

    He will be sadly missed. Labour need sensible heads like his that they can go to for advice.

  8. mac1 8
    21 August 2021 at 9:00 am

    Last night I stood under a clear and frosty sky to raise a wee dram of whisky in honour of Michael Cullen. As I did, a shooting star fell over the northern hills…………. RIP

  9. dottie 9
    21 August 2021 at 10:06 am

    You earned my respect Michael,

    and I think that History will bestow the respect you certainly deserve.