7 December 2006

Where the bloody hell are ya?

"Almost missing in action." That's the verdict of the Leader of the House, Dr Michael Cullen, after the debut performance of National's new leadership team.

"I expected far more than just one question each for two days effort in the House.

"I am glad Mr Key seized on one of the most important issues facing this country -climate change - for his first question as leader. It simply exposes the frailty of his belated conversion to the problem.

Mr Key has plenty of work to do to prove his credibility over this issue having spent the past four years as an MP denying global warming. He is after all the man who has called climate change a hoax, yet just last week said he had always believed in it.

"And no question yesterday from Mr Key and only one from Mr English on an issue that's past its used-by-date. Neither contributed to yesterday's general debate either so we have been denied a chance to hear their much-lauded debating skills for now. Just as under the failed Brash leadership, it was left to Gerry Brownlee to shoulder the burden.

"Mr Key has clearly been reaching out to middle New Zealand in a vain attempt to be Labour-lite. He should therefore be disappointed in Lockwood Smith for yesterday deciding to vote against $140 million of tax cuts for low and middle income Kiwi investors.

"It is a feeble parliamentary start for the new team. National's new leaders have a lot more work to do if they are ever going to distance themselves from the lies, deception and secret policy agendas exposed in 'The Hollow Men'", said Dr Cullen.

ENDS

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