6. Question No. 6—Education (School Operations)ANGELA ROBERTS (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations)Question No. 6—Education (School Operations)6. ANGELA ROBERTS (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations): What action is the Government taking to lift school attendance? Hon JAN TINETTI (Associate Minister of Education (School Operations)): Yesterday I joined students teachers parents and principals to launch our nationwide school attendance campaign Every School Day is a Big Day. The campaign supports practical measures to encourage attendance already under way by schools around the country. The advertising for the campaign was filmed in nine schools all over New Zealand just over two weeks ago capturing a day in the life of our tamariki in their kura across the country. It showcases how every day at school is a big day for our kids. Every day schools offer rich educational learning and also social cultural and emotional learning too. This nationwide campaign is one of the actions in the Government's Attendance and Engagement Strategy which sets ambitious targets and clear actions to turn around years of declining attendance rates. Angela Roberts: Why was a nationwide campaign on this issue needed? Hon JAN TINETTI: School attendance is a long-term challenge gradually declining across the board since 2015—a trend that has been further accelerated by COVID-19. Only three in five kids attend regularly 90 percent of the time but I'm deeply concerned about the views of adults on this: only 5 percent of Kiwis considered attendance a top-of-mind issue. I know the members in this House—well I think that all members in this House understand the importance of regular school attendance so it's now up to all of us to get this message out to parents and whānau. Going to school regularly is how our kids learn. It means they are better able to pass exams and get qualifications—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member's answer has been too long. Angela Roberts: How does—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Someone else had the call and the member interjected. I mean I'm just trying to work out why—you know is there a good reason for injecting when the member was asking a supplementary? Matt Doocey: Are you talking to me? SPEAKER: Absolutely. Matt Doocey: I didn't say a thing. SPEAKER: Well the member's mask flapped fairly heavily. Angela Roberts: How does this fit into wider work to—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Out. Matt Doocey withdrew from the Chamber. Angela Roberts: How does this fit into wider work to lift school attendance? Hon JAN TINETTI: This campaign is part of the Government's comprehensive strategy to lift attendance. It's supported by evidence-based solutions that are developed by those who know their school communities best and can respond to their needs and it's backed by $88 million worth of investment from Budget 2022. We're also removing barriers to attending school by providing access to free period products providing the free and healthy school lunches programme taking away whānau pressures from school donations and providing a curriculum with strong grounding in students' own identity language and culture to name a few. SPEAKER: Question No. 9 Ricardo Menéndez March. Dr Shane Reti: Point of order—SPEAKER: Oh sorry—I apologise. Question No. 7 Dr Shane Reti—it just feels like it's been that long.