11. ANNE TOLLEY (National—East Coast) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
Is he satisfied that the Ministry of Education is managing school properties well; if so, why?
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Education) Link to this
Generally, yes; but, as the House heard yesterday, there are examples where the Ministry of Education should have done better. I have directed that the property issues brought to my attention this week be fixed with speed. The ministry is reviewing how it manages the school property portfolio, and I am assured that the Secretary for Education is taking a very close interest in this matter.
Is the lesson to be learnt from the experience of Tiaho Primary School in Wairoa that if schools have problems with sewage, no heating in classrooms, leaking buildings, and stench-ridden toilets, they should not spend time filling out three property plans, they should not spend $24,000 on consultants, and they should not go to 25 meetings with Ministry of Education officials; instead, they should go to Close Up, because then they will get action overnight from the Minister?
No. The lesson to be learnt from the experience of that school is that this Government has put over $3 billion extra into school property, is absolutely committed to a first-class education system, is passionate about education, has invested—
Hon Bill EnglishI have just been asked what is up. I will tell the House what is up. This Government has put $5 billion extra into education.
Jill PettisCan the Minister further outline to the House what investment the Labour-led Government has put into school property?
I am delighted to tell the House that we have put in a great deal. Since 2001, we have allocated $3.3 billion to schools to upgrade and maintain property, and to build new schools and classrooms. These projects include $18 million for Porirua College for its rebuild, and $31.5 million for the brand new Albany Junior High School. In stark contrast, National’s education spokesperson, Anne Tolley, recently told 200 primary school principals in Auckland that National would not put any more money into education. What she forgot to tell them was that Mr Key has already promised to double the funding for private schools, which educate just 6 percent of our students.
Did the Minister ring up the Ministry of Education after watching Television One last night, which showed a Papamoa school that also has leaky buildings; and can he tell the House why, for the second night in a row, he did not front up to explain to the public why his ministry has failed to provide the very basic requirements of classrooms where children are learning rather than shivering and school-grounds where they are not having to dodge sewage?
What I can tell the House about is a very interesting conversation with the principal of the school at Papamoa. He said he was really embarrassed about last night’s programme. He had not gone to the media, but, funnily enough, Tony Ryall and Bob Clarkson, who had visited the school a week before, did.
Chris TremainWill the Minister be ringing the Ministry of Education to ask it to explain why Napier Intermediate School, whose toilet blocks are in such a bad condition that young girls will not go near them, and whose classrooms are so old that they are falling apart, has to continually butt heads against the wall of education bureaucracy, without making any progress; does Napier Intermediate School need to go on television, too, before it will get acceptable toilet and classroom facilities?
What I can tell the House is that last week I visited Napier Intermediate School. I looked at the facilities that the member has raised, and I am confident that the school is in for a major upgrade.
Jo GoodhewWill the Minister be ringing up the Ministry of Education and telling it to action the Waitaki Valley School rebuild programme, which was promised 4½ years ago when his colleague Trevor Mallard went around brutally closing and merging schools, but which has seen no progress since then; should the school contact a television station to get the rebuild started?
I can assure that school, along with every other school in New Zealand, that $3.3 billion has been committed to repairing and expanding schools, and a total of $5 billion extra has gone into education. We are a Government that is proud to support education. I did not tell 200 primary school principals in Auckland last week that my party would not put any more money into education; that is what Anne Tolley told them.
Dail JonesWhat action has been taken in respect of Albany Senior High School by the local member of Parliament over the last 6 years, bearing in mind that this school has been planned for a long time, and, despite the failure on the part of the local member—who I understand is Mr John Key—to deal with the Minister—
Madam SPEAKER—we now have a situation where senior high school children are housed in prefabs on the old site, and we are running the risk of the new school never being built and young children and their parents being totally disillusioned by the lack of work on the part of—
The member will please be seated. The member was testing not only my patience but that of every member in the House. Members know that they do not make speeches. If they want to ask supplementary questions, they should think about them before they stand.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I was asking a supplementary question. Supplementary questions tend to be heard in a degree of silence. I was being totally put off my effort to point out the failure of John Key to do anything in this area. If the members from the National Party had not raised a continual barrage of noise, I would have been in a much better position to ask my question. I ask you to protect members who are subjected to such barrages when supplementary—
I cannot comment on what the local member has done, but I can say that I have met with parents, and I have had extensive dealings with Albany Junior High School. We are working closely with the North Shore City Council and the Auckland Regional Council to work through the consent process. We have set aside over $70 million to have the project completed. The Labour-led Government is committed to resourcing education. It has set aside over $70 million for Albany Senior High School. That shows our commitment to education in this country.
Gerry BrownleeCan the Minister confirm that John Key has made representations to him, has worked with the local community constructively, and has been joined by his colleague the Hon Murray McCully in trying to get a reasonable outcome in the case of Albany Senior High School?
I cannot comment on what engagement has taken place locally, but I can confirm that I have had a discussion with Mr McCully and Mr Key, on one occasion, over this issue.
I seek leave to table a report of 6 December 2006 stating the view of a Labour Party spokesman that the Waitaki Valley School had a way forward and was already sorted—