1. JOHN KEY (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Does she stand by her statement that “20 hours free education a week will be able to be provided for 3 and 4-year-olds at any licensed teacher-led service in New Zealand from July 2007.”; if so, what did she mean by “free”?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) Link to this
Yes; 20 hours free means the regulated standard is free.
Did the Prime Minister mean the regulated standard could have added to it top-up fees and all sorts of surcharges; if so, when will she admit to Kiwi mums and dads that her promise of 20 hours is actually not free—it is free for a fee?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I am simply amazed the National Party continues to attack this policy, which will save parents thousands of dollars a year.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Prime Minister did not answer the question. I did not ask whether it would save New Zealand parents thousands of dollars. The question was whether it would be free under her regulated service; if not, when would she tell New Zealand parents that it will not be free, or is that because she knows it is not free—it is free for a fee.
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
My advice to the member is to stop digging into a ditch on this one. This is the biggest extension to free public education since the first Labour Government introduced free secondary education; also, no doubt, opposed by the National Party.
Tim BarnettRt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
Yes; quite a lot from the National Party in attacking it, so I assume its policy is to drop it and cost our parents thousands of dollars a year. That is yet another reason for not voting National.
Hon Brian Donnelly Link to this
Does the Prime Minister agree that paying early childhood centres what they had been previously charging, or what they would like to charge, would be an open cheque-book policy—particularly for the private sector—that no responsible Government could ever entertain, and that the source of the difficulties the policy has confronted has been some ill-considered pre-election rhetoric?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
The member is absolutely right to finger that the National Party would pay, presumably, whatever a provider wanted, which is an utterly irresponsible way to handle public money.
Are we led to believe that if McDonald’s this afternoon decides to adopt her definition of “free regulated service”, New Zealanders will be able to rock up to their local McDonald’s and get a Big Mac for free, only to find they have to pay three bucks for the box?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I am not aware that McDonald’s provides childcare services. Perhaps the member could enlighten us further.
Does the Prime Minister agree with Wayne Wright, chief executive officer of Kidicorp, who says: “It’s not free. It’s subsidised”—
Hon Trevor MallardThere will be no free McDonald’s at his stadium, because they are not building it, actually, mate—for the record, if he missed that little one. [ Interruption] I did not realise he was back from Valencia, sorry.
Madam SPEAKERWould the House please settle. It has been almost impossible to hear both the questions and the answers. Would we please keep the level down, otherwise we will be having questions and answers in silence.
Does she agree with Wayne Wright, chief executive of Kidicorp, who says: “It’s not free. It’s subsidised 20 hours for all 3 and 4-year-olds. Unfortunately, it was presented as a free programme. It’s not free.”; and who does she think she is kidding by trying to maintain that free means free?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
Kidicorp has been a very good supporter of this policy. It is coming in and will comply with it.
Does the Prime Minister remember receiving a letter, on 15 June 2007, from John and Bridget Kidd who, like so many parents, expressed that their local provider will not be able to opt into the system because it is not free; what response does she have to them when they said in their letter: “We challenge you to phone around central Wellington ECEs and find another that is opting into your policy. If you find any, then we challenge you to ask how long their waiting list is.”; and is it not true that the Prime Minister just does not want to admit that her Government has broken yet another election promise?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
The member is going to be terribly disappointed when he sees how many centres are signing up.