Purgewatch: Michael Cullen

Helen Clark has created a stir by talking about how long Michael Cullen will stay on as Finance Minister. It's not so much as what she's saying but that she's even discussing the possibility at all. Cullen wouldn't discuss the matter and was said by TVNZ to be "annoyed".

Although Cullen's retirement has been mooted before, I'm bemused at why Clark is going after Cullen and not the unnamed minister whom she had "expected" will retire this year. After all, Jim Sutton is in no hurry to retire his position as Minister of Trade Negotiations despite Helen's statement that he will retire by Christmas.