Cullen Michael: General Debate 
Cullen Michael: General Debate 
[Volume:649;Page:18000] 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Deputy Prime Minister) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. One thing that we do know is that in fewer than 3 months there will be an election in this country. One thing that we do know is that that election—[ 
Interruption 
] Listen to those members going again barracking away. Whenever they are in trouble one can measure it by the volume of noise. This election will be about trust. It will be about a choice between two very different directions and two very different leaders. 
New Zealand knows where Helen Clark stands. New Zealand knows that she can represent the country offshore with dignity and prestige. New Zealand knows that she and she alone is in charge of the Labour Party. On the other hand New Zealand does not know where John Key stands and that is not surprising: John Key does not know where he stands either. New Zealand does not trust him and those numbers showing that are getting worse with every poll. New Zealand knows he is not in charge of his own party. New Zealand knows he is confused over policy. How can John Key lead a Government when he cannot lead an Opposition? We see that every day. Members should listen to Mr Key on policy. He went to a Waikato school recently and he was asked for his view on the giant pylons due to cut through the Waikato. It was a pretty easy question. He said: “That’s getting a bit personal dude.” He was trying to be all 2008 but came out so 1996. He said: “We are worried about security of supply … but my personal view is that they are damn ugly”. There is a clear policy position: he is worried and he thinks the pylons are ugly. So what is his position on the issue? 
The cracks are occurring on the opposite side of the House. They began last October when Tony Ryall had a very strange lapse of behaviour. He issued a policy. He said National would lift the cap on doctors’ fees. What happened? National members said: “The health spokesperson knows nothing about health policy. Shut your mouth Tony and disappear until after the election.” Then of course poor old mild-mannered and inoffensive Kate Williamson— 
Hon Members 
: Wilkinson! 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: —Wilkinson sorry—who would not say boo to a goose said that National would abolish compulsory KiwiSaver contributions. And she is the industrial relations spokesperson. National members said: “She knows nothing about industrial relations. Shut your mouth Kate. We don’t want to see you until after the election.” And then we had Shane Ardern the rural affairs spokesperson. He said National would abolish KiwiSaver contributions for small businesses that provide for rural communities. National members said: “Shane knows nothing about rural affairs. Shut your mouth Shane and let’s not see you until after the election.” 
Then came the doozy. Bill English the policy supremo the man who knows everything in the National Party said he wanted to sell Kiwibank eventually. He said that John Key did not understand Working for Families. So Bill English the finance spokesperson the head of the policy committee was told that he did not understand finance policy. They did not tell him to shut up; after he apologised they put a big piece of tape over his mouth and said: “Bill we don’t want to see you until after the election.” The latest is Maurice Williamson. He proposed tolls of $50 a week which is nothing new; Maurice has been proposing heavy tolling up and down the country at meeting after meeting for years. He proposed the privatisation of schools and hospitals. He has been doing that for years but suddenly of course he said it on  
Agenda 
 which as we all know is the great big trap into which unwary politicians fall. The transport spokesperson was told: “You know nothing about transport. Shut up until after the election!” so Maurice was put back in the garage. 
Well having spent so long following a small target policy of “me too-ism” National is suddenly a great big juicy target. New Zealanders having seen National swallow so many dead rats are starting to say that they think they can smell a live one. The live rat they are smelling is National Party credibility National Party trustworthiness and National Party principles. They do not believe they can trust National. They do not believe now that they can believe what National says. That is the issue that this election will be about. They do not believe National protestations of having no secret agenda and the more they stop trusting National the more many of them start to remember that Mr English is one of those who broke the promise on the national superannuation surcharge.