Auchinvole Chris: Education Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Auchinvole Chris: Education Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:630;Page:2662] 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National) 
: 
 I rise to speak to the title of the Education Amendment Bill. It is with some distress and some sadness that I notice that the amendments so eloquently put forward by the Hon Bill English by other National members Allan Peachey and Colin King and by my parliamentary colleague Mr Pita Sharples have been denied by the narrowest of margins. Indeed “narrow” is the word for it describes fairly precisely the width of the present Government’s mind: narrow. It is distressing that so much was said before rising for dinner—so much that represented wide consultation with good dialogue—that demonstrated cross-party interest in perhaps supporting the amendments. Indeed Mr Donnelly was keen—or at least there was a suggestion that it would be a good idea to refer the bill back to the Education and Science Committee for additional discussion and amendment. 
Would the Labour-Progressive - part-time New Zealand First - part-time United Future Government perhaps show some illuminating intelligence some luminance some width of thought or some understanding of what New Zealanders listening to the debate would earnestly want them to do? Oh no! Like automatons set on an inexorable path towards ultimate failure the Labour-Progressive - part-time New Zealand First - part-time United Future Government marches on to its own demise with its eyes wide shut. To accommodate the requirement of the Hon Harry Duynhoven who wants a thorough source of quotes I quote that expression “eyes wide shut” from a range of books written by John Le Carré in which he uses the phrase to describe those who walk in a blind manner missing the obvious—a good analogy for the present Government. 
Dr Richard Worth 
: Who was the publisher? 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Collins I think—and it was not printed in New Zealand. 
But let us look at the title of this bill the Education Amendment Bill 2004. Does it really amend education? Does it actually do anything for education without the excellent amendments from this side of the Committee? No it does not. It simply amends which box to tick because this Government is rapidly becoming known as a box-ticking Government. 
We heard earlier an impassioned speech from my colleague Allan Peachey a man who is not exactly lacking in educational record and who is not exactly a low-level academic. In our family I have seen my wife commit years of her life her own time to excellence in education. Teachers of that stamp will not be stopped from delivering in spite of the efforts of the present Government to stop them. The problem is that the restrictive regulations imposed are merely an impediment. Members should think about it. They stand in the way of teachers delivering excellence. My colleague Mr King hopes that perhaps common sense will prevail over the time of this Government but the tragic truth is that it will not. I guess though that we in the National Party can be grateful for one thing: by denying the amendments which would have been useful and would have made this bill of some purpose the present Labour-Progressive - part-time other-parties Government has established a point of difference between us and the public and the public will show us the favour at the next election. 
We have heard today a mayday call. Earlier today in the Chamber reference was made to the mayday call. The origin is from the French word “m’aidez” which translates as “Help me!”. During the debate I heard the voices of children saying: “Help me!”. Labour members did not hear them do not hear them and will not hear them or anybody else. They were not always deaf but boy are they now—and the voters know it.