Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:654;Page:4062] 
11.  
Hon MARYAN STREET (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Tertiary Education 
: Has she received any reports on the impact of funding announced in Budget 2009 on tertiary students? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister for Tertiary Education) 
: 
 Yes. 
Hon Maryan Street 
: Has the Minister seen reports from Canterbury University which is being forced to restrict entry to second-year courses as a result of a $17 million funding cut in this Budget; if so how does she think this will contribute to upskilling New Zealand’s workforce and taking New Zealand “aggressively” out of the recession as the Prime Minister promised? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I say to that member that institutions such as that university already restrict entry to some courses. In fact when that member was Associate Minister for Tertiary Education her Government was unable to fund institutions so that they were able to accept every student into every course and that was in much better economic times than we are facing now. During these tough economic times this Government is acting responsibly and ensuring that there is quality investment in high-quality tertiary education. 
Aaron Gilmore 
: What initiatives has the Government funded for tertiary students through Budget 2009? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I am very proud of the initiatives that this Government has funded through Budget 2009. They include the voluntary bonding scheme for the health veterinary and education sectors in order to help to get those professionals into hard-to-staff areas. They include a voluntary repayment bonus to help graduates to pay off their debt sooner. They also include a commitment to meet the universities on a dollar for dollar scheme of $4 million for a summer internship scheme to give students paid work over the summer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Before I call the Hon Maryan Street—and I apologise for interrupting her—I say to the front-bench members on both sides that I do not mind interjections that relate to the question that is being answered. But where we have interjections to each other continually being shouted across the front benches interjections that are actually quite nasty and that I do not think are very helpful to this House I ask members on both sides to cease that behaviour. It is very discourteous to members who are either asking or answering questions. 
Hon Maryan Street 
: Does she agree with the import of the following quotation: “Damn the Nats who bring cuts to our education system make us pay for them out of our student loans that will take many people decades to pay off.”; if not has she taken up the issue with the author of that statement the president of the Albany Students’ Association in 1996 Paula Bennett? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: That member might like to study the Budget carefully because the increase for tertiary education rises from $2.66 billion in 2008-09 to $2.78 billion in 2009. I think that student would now be saying “Hurray for the Nats.” 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. We have had a discussion about this previously. I think the member has made an error. The increase could not be— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member knows he cannot dispute an answer by way of a point of order. It is simply not provided for. He can ask a supplementary question that puts the Minister on the spot over some information she has given in an answer. That is the way to handle the issue: to ask a supplementary question about it. 
Hon Maryan Street 
: Why has she refused to front up to the New Zealand University Students Association conference that is being held in July of this year and is that because the effective cuts to tertiary education including the axing of $98 million worth of scholarship funding have “resurrected financial barriers to tertiary education” as the association claims? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I would say to that member that she probably needs to get her facts straight. I have not refused to front up. Perhaps she might like to check with the association as to who is actually appearing at the conference. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Was the Minister serious when she suggested in response to an earlier supplementary question that tertiary funding had increased by $2.66 billion or was she just confused? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I did not say that so I could not possibly have been serious. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora tatou. What programmes will be considered as a part of the higher priority provision as discussed in Budget 2009 for tertiary students in adult and community education and what consultation process will be undertaken with Maori stakeholders on these priorities in order to maintain the momentum of Maori gaining a kick-start from these educational initiatives to get into higher learning? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Higher priority provisions will be courses that focus on literacy and numeracy and on other foundations skills that offer good staircasing opportunities for future training and employment. I have already had a number of discussions around this with the wananga about how they can continue to boost Maori participation in higher learning. In fact I have a meeting with them this week to discuss those very issues. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Has the Minister read the PricewaterhouseCoopers report that concluded that community-based education has an estimated economic benefit of up to $6.3 billion annually; and does she agree that adult and community education is likely to have one of the highest added values in economic terms as it is largely focused on improving people’s productive lives through learning? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Yes I have seen that report. But the advice I have received is that the courses on literacy and numeracy and on the foundation skills do the heavy lifting in terms of producing the economic benefit from community-based education. That is why the Government is going to prioritise its spending in those areas and not on courses that teach people hobbies such as concrete shell mosaics and Moroccan cooking. 
Hon Maryan Street 
: I seek leave to table a copy of “Prez Talk” from  
Satellite 
 which is the Albany Students’ Association magazine with the quotation from Paula Bennett to which I referred. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is none. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.