12. Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
Does she stand by all her statements on education?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) Link to this
Yes, including the statement that Budget 2010 delivers a substantial boost to education in a very difficult economic environment, with an additional investment of $1.4 billion over the next 4 years into early childhood education and schooling.
Sue MoroneyTalofa lava. Does she stand by her statement to the Education and Science Committee this morning that she did not receive advice indicating the likely extra dollar cost to parents of her cuts to funding for high-quality early childhood education centres?
As I said to the member this morning, it is very difficult for the Government to anticipate the changes and the increases in fees that individual businesses might make. That is the difficulty. The early childhood centres are all individual businesses and they have a number of choices to make.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Although the general area was the fees that parents pay, it was a very specific question about whether the Minister stood by the advice she gave to the select committee this morning that she did not receive advice on the dollar amount. I cannot tell from that answer whether she stands by that advice.
Mr SPEAKERI accept that there was no political statement or anything like that in the supplementary question. I invite Sue Moroney to repeat her question so that everyone can hear it and be absolutely clear as to what was asked.
Does she stand by her statement to the Education and Science Committee this morning that she did not receive advice indicating the likely extra dollar cost to parents of her cuts to funding for high-quality early childhood education centres?
As I said to the member this morning, I received advice on the changes to subsidies that the ministry would be paying to early childhood centres, and on a number of choices that the centres could individually make, which may include increasing fees to parents. But the actual amounts of the fees that those centres charge parents is an individual decision that they make. Therefore, the Government has no idea what their decisions may be.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Did the papers she received show any range of possible fee increases to parents?
I do not have the papers in front of me but they may well show some increases anticipated if those centres did not make other decisions such as changing the profile of their staffing, changing their hours, and making—[ Interruption] Those centres can make a range of choices, but they are individual businesses and those decisions are theirs to make.
Allan PeacheyDoes the Minister stand by her statement that the Government will invest $14.7 million over 4 years to align staffing in area schools for year 7 and year 8 students?
Yes, I stand by that statement, as per the primary question. Schools are required to provide classroom release time in line with their collective agreements, and area schools have struggled to meet these requirements for quite some time. This Government supports front-line services, and we have made this change to funding to allow those schools to meet their commitments.
Does she accept the word of the Māngere Living and Learning Family Centre that its fees will increase by $20 to $25 per child per week; if so, what effect does she believe that increase will have on the Māngere families referred to in that letter, who have up to four children each in that centre?
I have no reason to doubt the costings of the centre in Māngere, but I say again that this Government is facing extremely difficult economic circumstances. The amount spent on early childhood education has almost trebled over the last 5 years without a commensurate increase in participation. These are individual businesses and they can make the decisions about how to implement these changes in discussions with parents.
Given that the primary question was very broad, I am happy to answer that question if that member would care to put it in writing. [ Interruption]
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Is the Minister seriously telling the House that she cannot multiply $1.51 by 40?
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
How can it be fair for a Māngere family to have their childcare fees go up by $100 a week when her salary went up by the same amount and caused that cost?
I say at the beginning that I have no responsibility for the decisions that that centre makes. However, I suggest that the parents of children at that centre talk to the centre about what they want. This is a service that is provided to parents. That business can make a number of choices. Staff turnover is 20 percent to 25 percent. The centre does not have to employ 100 percent teachers, it can change staff hours, and it can change the types of services that the centre provides. What is more, it has almost 9 months in which to make those changes.