Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:649;Page:17990] 
5.  
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Minister for Tertiary Education 
: How many Maori students and Pacific students currently enrolled at a private training establishment would be eligible for equity funding if they attended a university ITP or wananga; and what would be the annual cost of extending equity funding to include Maori students and Pacific students in private training establishments? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister for Tertiary Education) 
: 
 Strictly speaking the answer to the question is none because the money is attached to the institution not to the students. Equity funding is paid for Maori and Pasifika students studying at diploma level degree level and post-graduate level. From memory if we were to extend it to private training establishments it would increase the budget by a little under half a million dollars. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: When was the decision made to exclude private training establishments from receiving equity funding for Maori and Pasifika students and what was the rationale behind the decision? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am sorry I do not know when the decision was made. I had a look at it when the member put his question down and I think he raises a good point although it has to be said it is not a very large point. To give members some idea of the size I point out that the student achievement funding that would flow to private training establishments if equity funding is included in their mix would go up from about $132.3 million to $132.7 million. So it is a good issue that the member raises but it cannot be said to be a large one. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Does the Minister have any intention of reviewing the policy of excluding private training establishments from receiving equity funding for Maori and Pasifika students; if so when; if not why not? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: As a result of the member putting the question down I had a look at the issue earlier today. I think as I said that the member raises a good point albeit not a large one. The fact that it is quite small does not mean that it should not be looked at. I think we should take a look at it. As private training establishments move into the investment plan process it may well be that equity funding becomes part of that mix. It is finally the decision of the Tertiary Education Commission but I will ask officials to take a look at it next week. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Is there any evidence that Maori students and Pasifika students enrolled at private training establishments have less need of Government support compared to Maori students and Pasifika students enrolled at universities institutes of technology and polytechnics or wananga; if so what is the evidence? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: No I do not think there is. The issue here is that there is a very small number of students studying at the appropriate level in the private training establishment sector who are not getting equity funding. As I said it is a very small amount of money. The fact that it is a small issue does not mean that it should not be looked at.