Helen Clark has confirmed she overstated the importance of tax cuts at the Labour Party conference last year, says National Party Leader John Key.

"Claiming in a newspaper today that tax cuts will be 'part of the mix, but their importance may have been overstated'  is a clear indication that she has backed away from meaningful tax cuts because Michael Cullen simply has no desire to implement them.

"Contrast Labour's approach with National's, where there is no confusion, only a commitment to deliver as promised.

"After almost nine years of a Labour Government taxpayers are hurting. The cost of living continues to rise but the harder they work, the more they pay and Michael Cullen's surplus just gets bigger and bigger.

"National intends to have an ongoing, credible programme of tax cuts that will see people's after-tax incomes rise and help close the ever-increasing wage gap with Australia.

"Tax cuts should never be about whether it's election year, or whether the polls are looking bad. They should be about building a competitive tax system that takes this country forward.

"Helen Clark and Michael Cullen have been exposed as paying lip service to that goal".