Michael Cullen
Encyclopedia
Michael John Cullen was a New Zealand politician. He served as Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
, also Minister of Finance
, Minister of Tertiary Education, and Attorney-General
. He was the deputy leader of the Labour Party
from 1996 until November 2008, when he resigned following a defeat in the general election. He resigned from Parliament in April 2009, to become the deputy chairman of New Zealand Post
from 1 November 2009, (and Chairman from 1 November 2010).
in Christchurch
, and achieved an MA in History at Canterbury University
. Receiving the Commonwealth Scholarship
he then gained a PhD in Social and Economic History from the University of Edinburgh
. From 1971 to 1981 he was a lecturer at Otago University
, with a term as a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University
from 1975 to 1976. On 16 December 2009, he received an honorary LLD from the University of Otago
in recognition of "his contributions as an Otago academic and as a respected and highly influential politician".
in 1974, and served on the party's Executive and Council between 1976 and 1981. In 1981
he was elected MP for the Dunedin
electorate of St Kilda
.
entered government in 1984
, Cullen became Senior Whip
. Due to his knowledge of economics, Cullen became increasingly involved in the disputes surrounding the Minister of Finance
, Roger Douglas
, who supported the liberalisation of trade and the sale of state assets plus deep tax cut
s. These goals, which were against traditional Labour
policies, angered both party members and the public. When the Prime Minister, David Lange
, attempted to limit the influence Douglas
had on the government's direction, Cullen became involved on Lange
's side. After Labour
's re-election in 1987
, Cullen was made Associate Minister of Finance (an attempt by Lange
to provide an anti-reform counterbalance to the radical Douglas
) and Minister of Social Welfare (an attempt to limit the impact of the reforms in that area).
Eventually, Douglas
was forced to resign, but a month later the political controversies around the dispute prompted the resignation of Lange
himself. Douglas
was succeeded as Finance Minister by David Caygill
, one of his allies (albeit a considerably less radical one). Cullen was made Associate Minister of Health, again to reduce the effect of reforms on that sector.
lost the 1990
election (something attributed by many people to public anger at Douglas
' reforms, and disarray within the Labour Party), Cullen returned to being Labour's spokesperson on social welfare. The following year, he replaced David Caygill as the party's chief finance spokesperson. When Caygill
retired from politics in 1996 Cullen took the deputy leader's post as well. Before Labour
's position in the polls improved, Cullen was also involved in an attempt to oust Helen Clark
as party leader, which was not successful. The two do not appear to bear each other any resentment, however. Cullen has claimed to be happy with his position as second, saying that in terms of personality, he is "a number two sort of person". Many commentators agree, believing that Cullen's strength lies more in administration than leadership.
Labour
's electoral victory in 1999
resulted in Cullen becoming Minister of Finance
. After the 2002 election
, the size of Labour's junior coalition partner was not sufficient to justify its leader holding the Deputy Prime Minister position, resulting in Jim Anderton
being replaced as Deputy Prime Minister by Michael Cullen.
In 2005 Cullen was appointed Attorney-General, following the election of Margaret Wilson
as Speaker of the House. His appointment was controversial because of his non-legal background (he was only the second non-lawyer to hold the post) and because of his previous criticisms of the judiciary, including the Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias
. His term in the position ended following the 2005 general election
. However, with the resignation of David Parker in March 2006, Cullen took over the position again.
When Cullen was first appointed Minister of Finance
, many parts of the business community were concerned that he would adopt unrealistic positions driven by his political views. Slowly, however, the business world lost much of its fear of him, and most people conceded that he was a competent administrator. Viewed as secure in his role as deputy prime minister, he was not thought of as a likely contender as a possible future replacement for prime minister Helen Clark
. He was considered to be one of the Labour Party
's best parliamentary debaters, and is known for his sometimes "acerbic" sense of humour.
The day after the defeat of Labour in the 2008 general election
s and Helen Clark's resignation as party leader, Cullen announced his resignation as deputy leader of the Labour Party.
In 2004 Cullen declared his support for the monarchy of New Zealand, he was "a sort of token monarchist in the Cabinet these days." However, in 2010 he repudiated that stance, taking the view that New Zealand should move towards a republic once the Queen's reign ends.
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Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....
, also Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
, Minister of Tertiary Education, and Attorney-General
Attorney-General (New Zealand)
The Attorney-General is a political office in New Zealand. It is simultaneously a ministerial position and an administrative office, and has responsibility for supervising New Zealand law and advising the government on legal matters...
. He was the deputy leader of the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
from 1996 until November 2008, when he resigned following a defeat in the general election. He resigned from Parliament in April 2009, to become the deputy chairman of New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post, commonly referred by its acronym, NZPost is a State owned enterprise responsible for providing postal service in New Zealand.-History:...
from 1 November 2009, (and Chairman from 1 November 2010).
Early life
Michael Cullen migrated to New Zealand while young and attended secondary school at Christ's CollegeChrist's College, Canterbury
Christ's College, Christchurch is an independent, Anglican, secondary, day and boarding school for boys, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand....
in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, and achieved an MA in History at Canterbury University
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
. Receiving the Commonwealth Scholarship
Commonwealth Scholarship
The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan is an international programme under which Commonwealth governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries.-History:...
he then gained a PhD in Social and Economic History from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. From 1971 to 1981 he was a lecturer at Otago University
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
, with a term as a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
from 1975 to 1976. On 16 December 2009, he received an honorary LLD from the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
in recognition of "his contributions as an Otago academic and as a respected and highly influential politician".
Member of Parliament
Cullen joined the Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
in 1974, and served on the party's Executive and Council between 1976 and 1981. In 1981
New Zealand general election, 1981
The 1981 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 40th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Robert Muldoon, win a third term in office, although the opposition Labour Party, led by Bill Rowling, actually won the largest share of...
he was elected MP for the Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
electorate of St Kilda
St Kilda (New Zealand electorate)
-Population centres:The electorate is in the southern suburbs of Dunedin, New Zealand, and was centered on the suburb of St Kilda.-History:The electorate was created in 1946, and was abolished in 1996 , when it was absorbed into the Dunedin South electorate.-Election results:-External links:...
.
Fourth Labour Government
When LabourNew Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
entered government in 1984
New Zealand general election, 1984
The 1984 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 41st New Zealand Parliament. It marked the beginning of the Fourth Labour Government, with David Lange's Labour Party defeating long-serving Prime Minister Robert Muldoon of the National Party. It was also the...
, Cullen became Senior Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
. Due to his knowledge of economics, Cullen became increasingly involved in the disputes surrounding the Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
, Roger Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
, who supported the liberalisation of trade and the sale of state assets plus deep tax cut
Tax cut
A tax cut is a reduction in taxes. The immediate effects of a tax cut are a decrease in the real income of the government and an increase in the real income of those whose tax rate has been lowered. Due to the perceived benefit in growing real incomes among tax payers politicians have sought to...
s. These goals, which were against traditional Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
policies, angered both party members and the public. When the Prime Minister, David Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
, attempted to limit the influence Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
had on the government's direction, Cullen became involved on Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
's side. After Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
's re-election in 1987
New Zealand general election, 1987
The 1987 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 43rd sitting of the New Zealand Parliament. The governing New Zealand Labour Party, led by Prime Minister David Lange, was re-elected for a second term, although the Opposition National Party made gains...
, Cullen was made Associate Minister of Finance (an attempt by Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
to provide an anti-reform counterbalance to the radical Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
) and Minister of Social Welfare (an attempt to limit the impact of the reforms in that area).
Eventually, Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
was forced to resign, but a month later the political controversies around the dispute prompted the resignation of Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
himself. Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
was succeeded as Finance Minister by David Caygill
David Caygill
David Caygill, CBE is a former New Zealand politician. After being New Zealand's youngest city councillor at 22 , he was an MP from 1978 to 1996, representing the Labour Party...
, one of his allies (albeit a considerably less radical one). Cullen was made Associate Minister of Health, again to reduce the effect of reforms on that sector.
Opposition
When LabourNew Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
lost the 1990
New Zealand general election, 1990
The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office...
election (something attributed by many people to public anger at Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
' reforms, and disarray within the Labour Party), Cullen returned to being Labour's spokesperson on social welfare. The following year, he replaced David Caygill as the party's chief finance spokesperson. When Caygill
David Caygill
David Caygill, CBE is a former New Zealand politician. After being New Zealand's youngest city councillor at 22 , he was an MP from 1978 to 1996, representing the Labour Party...
retired from politics in 1996 Cullen took the deputy leader's post as well. Before Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
's position in the polls improved, Cullen was also involved in an attempt to oust Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
as party leader, which was not successful. The two do not appear to bear each other any resentment, however. Cullen has claimed to be happy with his position as second, saying that in terms of personality, he is "a number two sort of person". Many commentators agree, believing that Cullen's strength lies more in administration than leadership.
Fifth Labour Government
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
's electoral victory in 1999
New Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
resulted in Cullen becoming Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
. After the 2002 election
New Zealand general election, 2002
The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial...
, the size of Labour's junior coalition partner was not sufficient to justify its leader holding the Deputy Prime Minister position, resulting in Jim Anderton
Jim Anderton
James Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
being replaced as Deputy Prime Minister by Michael Cullen.
In 2005 Cullen was appointed Attorney-General, following the election of Margaret Wilson
Margaret Wilson
Dame Margaret Wilson DCNZM is a New Zealand academic and former politician. She was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives during the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand. She is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:...
as Speaker of the House. His appointment was controversial because of his non-legal background (he was only the second non-lawyer to hold the post) and because of his previous criticisms of the judiciary, including the Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias
Sian Elias
Dame Sian Seerpoohi Elias, GNZM, PC, QC is the Chief Justice of New Zealand, and is therefore the most senior member of the country's judiciary. She is the presiding judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand...
. His term in the position ended following the 2005 general election
New Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
. However, with the resignation of David Parker in March 2006, Cullen took over the position again.
When Cullen was first appointed Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
, many parts of the business community were concerned that he would adopt unrealistic positions driven by his political views. Slowly, however, the business world lost much of its fear of him, and most people conceded that he was a competent administrator. Viewed as secure in his role as deputy prime minister, he was not thought of as a likely contender as a possible future replacement for prime minister Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
. He was considered to be one of the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
's best parliamentary debaters, and is known for his sometimes "acerbic" sense of humour.
The day after the defeat of Labour in the 2008 general election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
s and Helen Clark's resignation as party leader, Cullen announced his resignation as deputy leader of the Labour Party.
In 2004 Cullen declared his support for the monarchy of New Zealand, he was "a sort of token monarchist in the Cabinet these days." However, in 2010 he repudiated that stance, taking the view that New Zealand should move towards a republic once the Queen's reign ends.
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