9. PAULA BENNETT (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
How many 3 and 4-year-olds will receive 20 free hours of early childhood education on 1 July 2007?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
As has been explained to the member on more occasions than I care to count, based on current enrolments, up to 92,000 3 and 4-year-olds will be eligible to receive 20 hours’ free early childhood education in teacher-led centres from 1 July this year.
Does the Minister stand by his statement in February, after hearing concerns from the early childhood sector, that he will “amend some rules to make it work”?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
In meeting with the sector at that time—all 12 parts of the sector—I made it clear to the people involved that the Ministry of Education would do what it is currently doing. It is travelling the country and talking face to face with providers, because it may become clear during that process that the way we interpret the rules in different parts of the sector may have to be clarified. At the time, I used the example of home-based education services, which of course differ greatly from institutionally based services. The need may be to clarify the rules in relation to the different parts of the sector.
Moana MackeyWhat other reports has the Minister seen on alternatives to the very popular policy of 20 hours’ free early childhood education?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I have seen many reports. The first one said that the 20-hour entitlement would be welcomed by families. The second said that the scheme should be scrapped. The third said that the scheme should be replaced by a tax deduction system, where parents save up their receipts and take them to the Inland Revenue Department at the end of the year and get repaid for the year just passed. The next report advocated spending over $1 billion to extend the scheme to every early childhood education centre in the country. In a further statement, objection was raised to any funding at all being spent on informing parents about the policy. All of those statements came from different spokespeople within the National Party who seem not to know about this policy, at all. But I will bet a large amount of money that by the next election, they will agree with it.
Which is correct—the sector needs to know—is it the Prime Minister’ statement on Tuesday in this House that “changes are not likely”; the Minister’s statement in February, which was very clear that he would “amend some rules”; or his wishy-washy statement today?
Madam SPEAKERThat question was heard in near silence, so courtesy will be shown in order that the reply can be heard in silence.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
It was a multi-choice question, but I will add a fourth option, which is actually what was said. We met with all parts of the early childhood sector. During that discussion, I made it very clear that during the time those groups would spend talking with the Ministry of Education prior to the roll-out of this scheme, we would make sure that all of the rules applied in a way that was fair to each of the 12 sectors of the early childhood sector.
Does the Minister agree with the written statement of his colleague Shane Jones that attention around 20 hours’ free education is “being driven by a minority of commercial providers more concerned with profits than educating our younger generations”, and how does that statement reconcile with the Auckland Kindergarten Association, which declared just last week that it would not be opting in?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
In relation to the last comment by Ms Bennett, who always misrepresents the sector, I say that the Auckland Kindergarten Association said it was still considering the policy—whereas, for example, the Waikato Kindergarten Association has already announced that it is opting in, saying that it is a wonderful initiative by the Government. I say to the member that Mr Shane Jones says a lot of very sensible things. There is a debate going on about this policy, as anybody would expect at the present time—all big policies have debates. As I mentioned to the House yesterday, over 90 percent of the people who go to the discussions with the Ministry of Education are leaving those discussions saying they understand the policy and know how to apply it.
Does the Minister agree with Shane Jones that the sector has too long been treated as something that anyone can do; if so, what about the 94 non-teacher-led services north of Auckland that will not get access to this Government’s hoax of 20 free hours?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
It is always good to get policy from the National Party. Ms Bennett has again promised to extend this policy to all early childhood centres, for $1 billion—that from a tax-cutting party! National cannot spend more and cut taxes at the same time, and that is why Mrs Bennett will be remaining on the Opposition benches.
It is not Mrs Bennett; it is Miss Bennett. I seek leave to table a document from the Sunday Star-Times that very clearly states that the Minister of Education, Steve Maharey, has conceded that he will amend some rules in order to make the policy work.
I seek leave to table the document concerning Shane Jones, who states very clearly that early childhood education has been driven by a minority of commercial providers.
I seek leave to table the list of those providers that are north of Auckland and will not have access to this hoax of a scheme.