About the Author

Hon Sir Michael Cullen KNZM 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. He left Parliament in 2009 and became the chairman of New Zealand Post. He has held a number of public service roles, including as chair of the Tax Working Group and Earthquake Commission, and on the boards of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and the Lakes District Health Board.