Hon Dr Michael Cullen
Deputy Prime Minister

28 November 2006 Media Statement

Key all style, no substance

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen today described John Key's first speech as National leader as shallow, simply being a collection of platitudes with no substance.

"The speech tells us what he is not. He is not Don Brash. It doesn't tell us what he is, nor is it consistent with his previous comments.

"For example, he told the media previously that the first thing he thinks about in the morning is what happened to his Merrill Lynch shares overnight.

"Mr Key has yet to demonstrate any substance despite having spent much of the last four years thinking about being the leader of the National Party.

"He has either got no policies or he is following Dr Brash's strategy as outlined in Nicky Hager's book that he knows only full well what his policies are, but he is not telling us.

"The Labour-led government over the next two years will be focusing on substance, not spin," Dr Cullen concluded.

ENDS

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