9. SUE MORONEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
Does she stand by all her statements about subsidies and fee controls in early childhood education?
Hon ANNE TOLLEYWill the existing subsidies of $12.45 per child per hour and $11.52 per child per hour for 20 hours’ early childhood education continue to be paid after 1 February 2011?
No. The funding changes to $11.12 per hour for the new 80 percent - plus rate. But I stress to the member that that still remains a premium subsidy of a $4.59 per hour - per child difference in funding for 20 hours’ funding from the ordinary other 10 hours in early childhood services.
Is the funding for 20 hours’ early childhood education exempt from her wide-ranging review of funding and policy settings for early childhood education, which she announced on 7 October?
No, but this Government promised to retain the subsidies and fee controls that make up 20 hours’ early childhood services. So we have maintained those fee controls, which prevent compulsory top-up changes, and we have maintained the subsidy premium the 20 hours’ early childhood services get over and above what non - 20 hours’ early childhood services get.
Is she concerned that her funding cuts to early childhood education mean that services such as the Kindergarten Association in Wanganui will have 14 fewer staff to provide quality early childhood education to children when her Government promised to improve adult-child ratios—it was the No. 3 election promise?
I say to that member that she does not quite understand what cuts mean. Cuts mean taking money from services. In fact, this Government added $107 million to early childhood education services this year.
Mr SPEAKER