2. JOHN KEY (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Does she stand by her statement that “20 hours free means the regulated standard is free”; if so, how many early childhood education services will be able to offer “20 hours free” without also charging parents extra top-up fees, donations, or surcharges?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) Link to this
Yes. All who sign up will have agreed to provide the regulated standard for free.
When the Government announced the policy of 20 free hours for early childhood education during the 2005 election campaign, was it always the intention of the Government to actually continue to charge New Zealanders for receiving a service that it was trying to tell them on one brief would be free?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
No. This was a full cost model with the rate responsibly set after a survey of all costs.
Darren HughesHas she received any advice in respect of claims made in the House yesterday that the Ministry of Education had approved information about the policy that was sent out in a private sector newsletter?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
Yes. The advice I have is that Paula Bennett’s claims were false. That seems typical of the National Party’s campaign of denigration.
When the New Zealand public start to consider the definition of the word “free”, does the Prime Minister think they will use their standard definition, something for nothing, or does she think they will use her definition, something they still have to pay for?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
What the public will be relieved to know is that the rate was responsibly set after a survey, rather than our deciding like a money trader just to write out a blank cheque.
I do not think the Prime Minister should publicly indicate that Labour’s poll ratings are going down. It is not a very good sign.
Madam SPEAKERUnder the Prime Minister’s policy, how should centres actually deal with parents who cannot, will not, or do not pay the optional fee over and above her regulated standard fee?
Does the Prime Minister not realise that many centres simply cannot afford to offer a service of 20 hours free without charging a top-up, and that without that top-up, many New Zealand children will receive a service that is completely substandard to the one they receive today, which is why so many centres are not opting in?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
As I said yesterday, the member is going to be very disappointed that his campaign to try to stop centres signing up has been such a spectacular failure.
Is the Prime Minister aware that the people who are very disappointed are the New Zealanders who believed her when they thought they were getting 20 hours’ free early childhood education, only to find out, when we are not in an election year, that they actually have to pay for it—or are they getting used to broken promises under Labour, in the same way that the Minister of Finance in the 2005 Budget told them they were to receive a tax cut, only to now know they are not to receive a tax cut?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
The only people who will be very disappointed are people like the Leader of the Opposition and Sue Thorne, who have campaigned to try to stop people from taking up this very good policy.
Does the Prime Minister stand by her statement made in the House yesterday: “Kidicorp has been a very good supporter of this policy.”, and does that mean we can take it that she endorses Kidicorp’s sensible argument that “20 hours free is nothing but a subsidy that cannot be made to work unless parents pay the top-up fees.”?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I repeat that it is full costs for the regulated standard. This is a great policy, which I confidently predict the National Party will adopt—if not by lunchtime, then probably by the election.