10. SUE MORONEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Does he stand by all of his answers to Oral Question No 12 on 9 August 2011?
Will the Prime Minister rule out funding cuts of up to 80 percent for home-based early childhood education, proposed by the Government-appointed Taskforce on Early Childhood Education, as he did for Playcentre recently; if not, why not?
The Government is in the process of digesting all of the information from the Taskforce on Early Childhood Education, but it is fair to say we will not be accepting all of it.
Will the Prime Minister rule out funding cuts of up to 78 percent for kōhanga reo as proposed by the Government-appointed Taskforce on Early Childhood Education, as he did for Playcentre recently; if not, why not?
As I said, the Government is in the process of digesting all of the recommendations of the Taskforce on Early Childhood Education, but I would not read anything into that report.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister has been asked two very specific questions now, about whether he could rule out funding cuts from the recommendations made by the Taskforce on Early Childhood Education. He has failed to rule out those funding cuts.
We have had this issue raised before, and the member will recollect that it is difficult for me to insist that a Minister gives a different answer if, in fact, the Government has not made decisions in relation to a task force report. If I heard the Prime Minister correctly, I think he said the Government was digesting the recommendations and had not made any final decisions. I think he went on to add some views about some things being unlikely. I cannot insist on anything more precise than that, at this stage.
Will the Prime Minister give a commitment, then, to the existing rate of subsidy for 20 free hours’ early childhood education for all the children to whom it currently applies, in light of the proposal of the Government-appointed Taskforce on Early Childhood Education to cut funding by up to $50 per child, per week?
Yes, as I said last week, we support having the 20 free hours. We are just considering the recommendations of the Taskforce on Early Childhood Education. I am not actually expecting major changes.