Mallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:654;Page:3860] 
10.  
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What are her priorities for the period between now and 30 June 2009? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 The overall priority of this Government is to raise achievement in the education system. That priority guides my actions at all times. In order to achieve that goal I have a number of priorities in early childhood education and the schooling sector and also in the tertiary sector in my role as Minister for Tertiary Education. I can give the member two examples from a long list of work on our priorities up until 30 June: I would include the current consultation with parents and the education sector on national standards and the expressions of interest that we have called for in terms of trades academies. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: What priority is the Minister giving to literacy and in particular to the importance of spelling and proofreading? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I thought I had made it fairly clear in the previous answer but I say that this Government is committed to the national standards which include reading and writing of which spelling is a part. We see those standards as the foundation for children’s learning so we want to ensure that every young New Zealander gets the opportunity to learn to read write and do maths while they are at primary school. 
Nikki Kaye 
: What indications has the Minister received of the education sector embracing the Government’s priorities for education? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I have received numerous indications and I have outlined in the House today the overwhelming support for the national standards consultation process. I also tell the House that we have received over 100 expressions of interest for the trades academies. The Ministry of Education is currently reviewing the submissions so that we can decide which submissions should be taken further to a business proposal stage and then on to final approval and construction. We are delivering on one of our priorities—that is to support at least five trades academies in the next 3 years. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: In light of the Minister’s comments on the importance of literacy and the importance of academies how does she spell “academies”? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Mr Speaker— 
Hon Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With the greatest respect I say that Parliament is not a spelling bee and the Minister has no responsibility for the spelling of a particular word. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Speaking to the point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: So long as it is a matter of order I will hear the Hon Trevor Mallard. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I have a document from the Minister that within an inch or so spells “academies”— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: This is not a point of order. I invite the member to reflect on what he has just done. That point is nothing to do with order in this House and it is not helpful. Members have been grumpy about my rulings but it is not helpful when members raise that kind of point of order. OK I could have ruled the question out—I am sure the Opposition would have been very grumpy had I done that. I thought the Minister could handle the question whatever way she chose. It was the kind of question that could get any kind of answer; I am not going to insist on any particular kind of answer. Members can see the dilemma for the Speaker because if I had ruled out the question the Opposition would not have been happy. I have not ruled it out and I think the Minister is at liberty to answer it. 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: That is the sort of question that I would expect from the member. Why does the member not talk about why he opposes trades academies? Why does he think that young New Zealanders are better sitting in rows in classrooms instead of attending something like a trades academy where secondary education can interface with both the workplace and tertiary education and which gives people opportunities to live better fulfilled lives? Why does the member continue to— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think that is a sufficient answer. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Why does the Minister promote higher education standards and at the same time put out a document signed by her that is riddled with spelling errors? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: If that member would like to send me the piece of paper that he purports has spelling mistakes on it I will correct them for him. 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: I wonder whether the Minister could confirm that it is highly likely that the people who actually wrote that document were educated some time during the 9 years of the Labour Government when there was absolutely no care for educational standards whatsoever. 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I am happy to confirm that. I also confirm that the member asking the earlier questions was the Minister of Education at the time. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I seek leave to table the document signed by the Hon Anne Tolley which has the quotes from the Minister of Education and is filled with spelling errors. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.