2. GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Did she respond “I don’t know” to a media question about the prospect of her Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon Dr Michael Cullen, delivering the next three Budgets because she wanted to give him a strong hint that he is now a serious liability to her Government, or because she expects that her Government will lose its majority in the Parliament inside that 3-year period?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) Link to this
Neither. I am pleased to have a loyal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, which is a happy situation not shared by the Leader of the Opposition.
Can she then explain to the House why Dr Cullen refused to make any media comment on his intentions on Monday, and yesterday explained that his silence was the result of him “waiting for certain matters to be clarified”, and can she tell the House just what matters between her and her deputy required all of Monday and Tuesday to get clarified?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
It would be a very foolish politician who took any media report at face value.
Can she confirm the report in the Dominion Post that Dr Cullen was “annoyed by her comments”, given that the author of the article, Dr Vernon Small, is widely known to have an open line into Dr Cullen’s office; would she now like to take this opportunity to publicly apologise to Dr Cullen for his hurt feelings over this matter? []
Madam SPEAKERWould the House please just settle. Every member in the House is entitled to hear the answer to the question.
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I cannot confirm that report, but I can confirm that the Christchurch Press reported that the National Party caucus would not recognise unity if it tripped over it on the way to Bellamy’s.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
Does the Government intend to have weekly votes of confidence in the leader and deputy leader, which is clearly the recent practice of the National Party?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I do note that in stark contrast to the cohesion of the Government, the National Party leader, at the first caucus of the year, was forced to lecture his caucus on discipline and unity after the finance spokesperson, John Key, accused a colleague of spreading rumours about the leadership challenge—a very common state of affairs in the National Party.
Can she confirm the further report by Dr Vernon Small that she and Dr Cullen “met on Monday to clear the air”, and can she tell the House what it says of her Government when it took 2 whole days for the Prime Minister and her deputy to negotiate a form of words offering support for her deputy?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
The deputy leader of the National Party may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I dealt with that matter on Monday morning.
If the Prime Minister dealt with the matter on Monday morning, why was Dr Cullen not prepared to talk about it until late on Tuesday?
Has the Prime Minister seen Dr Cullen’s statement reported in this morning’s media—Wednesday—“What Helen was doing was leaving me space.”, and can she tell the House why Dr Cullen just does not take the hint?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
What I can tell the House is that the longer the Deputy Prime Minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party stays in Parliament, the happier I will be. I do not think Mr Brownlee’s colleagues would say that about him.
Rodney HideWhy did the Prime Minister undermine her loyal deputy and Minister of Finance on Monday, and leave him hanging for 2 days—because no other conclusion can be drawn—and is it not her practice to shoot her own colleagues not by sitting down and talking to them but by talking things up in the media?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
To the contrary, I have expressed my full confidence in, and support for, Dr Cullen. As I have said, the longer he stays, the happier I will be. Frankly, the shorter the stay of Mr Hide, the happier I will be.
Can the Prime Minister confirm that her expression of confidence in Dr Cullen came only after they had had a meeting to clear up certain matters, and that the reality is that Dr Cullen now joins Russell Fairbrother and Dianne Yates on the “managed exit” list?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
Dr Michael Cullen has been a colleague and friend of mine for about 34 years. He has presided over a very strong economy. He has my total support. That is not something Gerry Brownlee’s colleagues would say about him.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. It was quite hard to hear the Prime Minister’s answer. I thought I heard her tell the House that she has been friends with Michael Cullen for 35 years. Is that what she actually said?
Members have the matter of barracking in their own hands. I have warned members about it. I could certainly hear the answer to that question. I do not think the answer needs to be repeated on this occasion.
My new point of order is to clarify whether it is now a ruling of the House that as long as the Speaker can hear the answer, it does not matter about MPs on the cross benches. And actually the matter is not in our own hands, because we on the cross benches are trying to hear and are not making a noise.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
Mr Hide’s complaint would have some integrity if he had not been one of the principal barrackers at the time the answer was being given by the Prime Minister. He shouted “Who?” three times. He knows full well that he did. So if he could not hear the answer, it was because he had his mouth open.