10. Question No. 10—EducationCHRIS BAILLIE (ACT) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 10—Education10. CHRIS BAILLIE (ACT) to the Minister of Education: Does he agree with the Prime Minister who said in relation to New Zealand history being taught in schools This Government is committed to a better New Zealand that we can all be proud of and which recognises the value of every New Zealander"?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): Yes that's why the draft curriculum content embraces the histories of all people who live in Aotearoa New Zealand and encourages schools and kura to develop a local curriculum that reflects the histories of their communities.Chris Baillie: How will one of the three big ideas in the draft history curriculum—that Māori history is the continuous history of New Zealand—recognise the value of every New Zealander?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I say as a Pākehā New Zealander I do not feel the slightest bit threatened by Māori history being taught in our schools and it is something that I hope my kids will have the advantage of learning about.Chris Baillie: What does he say to teachers who believe that another of the three big ideas—that colonisation continues to influence all aspects of our society—is incorrect and divisive?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I want to ensure that young people in New Zealand understand all of our history—the good the bad and the ugly—and a recognition of the fact that we have passed down through generations discrimination that has led to some New Zealanders being disadvantaged in their educational journey some New Zealanders not receiving the same opportunities as others. If our young people leave school with an understanding of that that will be a damn good thing. [Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member—he's catching the Simon Bridges disease.Chris Baillie: Does he agree with the Royal Society that major topics are missing from the draft curriculum including economic change constitutional issues and New Zealand's role in international relations?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I would point out that the New Zealand histories curriculum is not the only thing that we will be teaching in schools. We will continue to teach economics we will continue to teach social studies we will continue to teach geography—all of those other subjects that we want our young people to learn. But I would say to the Royal Society of New Zealand who have made a submission that that is the appropriate thing to do. We are in a consultation phase at the moment. This is where we want to hear from New Zealanders about what they want to see reflected in our histories curriculum.SPEAKER: Question No. 11—Chris Baillie: Supplementary.SPEAKER: No I think the member—Hon Member: Yeah he's got another one. Chris Baillie: Thank you. How will he ensure that the New Zealand history curriculum gives an honest—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Sorry the member's party has run out of supplementary questions; I apologise.Rawiri Waititi: Oh bugger I wanted to hear the rest of that.SPEAKER: Was that Mr Waititi?Rawiri Waititi: It might have been Simon Bridges.SPEAKER: I can—Hon Simon Bridges: Look if you want to kick me out.Rawiri Waititi: He's your Thursday man; I'm your Wednesday man. SPEAKER: I'll only let Mr Bridges go if he does a haka on the way. David Seymour: Point of order. If I recall ACT have 13 questions available used five yesterday four on question No. 4 today three so far; one more remaining. SPEAKER: You used six yesterday?David Seymour: It didn't feel like it.SPEAKER: It's hard to say what I think—whether I thought the member had more or less. Hon Marama Davidson: What value does the Minister feel that New Zealand history in schools will bring to harmonious relations in Aotearoa?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I think understanding the wide variety of cultures and views the diversity of New Zealand the different journeys that have brought people here to this land I think will be hugely valuable. But again I want to reiterate what I said in my last question: I think an understanding of the fact that not everybody starts life with the same opportunities as everybody else is something that young people should understand."