Parata HekiaHon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): Tēnā koe Mr Assistant Speaker. This afternoon's debate in terms of the speakers who have spoken so far really manifests the difference between those of us here on the Government benches and those in Opposition. The anger and the pessimism that are just coming off in waves from the Opposition are not what New Zealanders are interested in. They do want people who are ambitious and aspirational positive and optimistic constructive and productive on their behalf and who are focused all the time on refresh and refresh.Ron Mark: Why is the member leaving?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The member keeps asking why I am leaving. It is because I do not see this role as a sinecure for life because I cannot get another job. I see this as an opportunity to make a difference. I have been privileged to be the Minister of Education and I am working right up to the time that I will stand down and I stand down at a time of my choosing. I do so on behalf of a Government with a strong caucus full of potential any one of whom can willingly and ably fill the footsteps of someone such as me.I want to take the opportunity of this general debate to talk about this small smart sassy nation of Aotearoa New Zealand. This Government absolutely believes in the possibilities of this country and has invested in those being realised. In terms of the economy we know that for the past 8 years this Government year on year has built the strength in this economy which realises the expectation of New Zealanders which backs small-business people to be successful which backs employers to employ more people and which sees New Zealanders keeping more of their hard-earned cash and understanding that that which they entrust to us the Government in tax is going to be spent as prudently as possibly.It is in the interests of this fabulous nation that all of us work. The previous speaker on this side of the House Todd McClay as Minister of Trade supported the Prime Minister to announce Trade Agenda 2030 which is all about how we continue to trade successfully overseas. We have to trade in order to afford the First World economic aspects we want for ourselves. We have to have relationships with export markets all round the world. To do that successfully we need to make sure that we have New Zealanders capable of understanding the particular interests of those counties. We are outward-looking unlike the Opposition which is very inward-looking and very downward-looking. We have our eyes raised to the horizon and beyond and we know the potential.As Minister of Education I completely understand that a great education is the cornerstone of young people being able to realise their own aspirations and their own dreams. That is why we have been prepared to be publicly accountable. As we have said we want all 18-year-olds—as many as possible; at minimum 85 percent—achieving our minimum qualification. It is why we put in place vocational pathways so that our young people can be participants in this export-led economy. It is why the Opposition member over there celebrates the increase in Pasifika students having more qualifications than they have ever had before. It is a pity that the member over there Ron Mark does not celebrate the number of Māori who are doing better than they ever have before. The member instead wants to wring his hands and make character attacks on Ministers who work extremely hard to support communities whether in terms of law and order their safety and security the increase in policing the expansion of ultra-fast broadband and ICT to make sure that we are a connected country the freshness of our water or the backing of our primary resource space. This Government understands that it is not a binary proposition where either we have farming or we have clean water; we are devoted to both.We completely understand that it is the skills and qualifications of young New Zealanders that will secure our future. That is why as Minister of Education with the complete backing of this ambitious Government we have invested in every young person being as successful as they possibly can be. That is why the provisional results for 2016—here we will take a pause because we will give you a chance to be celebratory—show that over 85 percent of our 18-year-olds will have the minimum qualification. So the Opposition can go on and on about what is wrong and what it would not do; we are all about what we will do what we have done and what we will continue to promise this country.