7. Teachers—Industrial ActionHon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of EducationTeachers—Industrial Action7. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) on behalf of Hon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of Education: What advice has he received on the likelihood of a two-day primary teacher strike and the potential impact that would have on students' learning?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): The Government's committed to going back to the negotiating table with teachers and principals next week. We are listening to their concerns and are committed to good faith bargaining. Discussion of further strike action is premature and I've yet to receive any advice on it.Simeon Brown: What advice can he give to frustrated parents who are now facing the prospect of another longer two-day strike?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: The same advice that I gave them this morning and yesterday: that talk of any further strike action is premature. Negotiations will resume next week.Jamie Strange: What advice has he received on the concerns of primary school teachers?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I've received a wide range of advice on the concerns of primary school teachers. I won't go through all of it today. I understand that primary school teachers are concerned that there aren't enough of them and the Government's taken action putting a $30 million package in place to attract new people to the profession. I've received feedback that national standards led to a significant increase in the workload without any corresponding increase in student achievement and the Government has abolished them. And I've received advice that there is significant unmet demand—or significant extra demand I should say—for learning support in our school system for kids with additional learning needs and the Government provided the biggest increase in learning support funding in a decade in this year's Budget.Simeon Brown: Does he think that teachers were too quick in launching strike action and does he have any plans to meet with union representatives himself to try and support a quick resolution to negotiations?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: The decision to take strike action was one taken by the teachers. I do know that they would not have taken that decision lightly. Of course from a Government perspective we would prefer to be sitting around the bargaining table with them rather than have them on strike.Simeon Brown: Does he stand by the statement made by the Prime Minister yesterday We gave a 45 percent increase for operational funding." when his Budget statement said the operational funding had increased by 1.6 percent and does he think it is helpful for the Prime Minister to exaggerate by more than 25-fold?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I think that the percentage figures the Prime Minister was referring to were the percentage increases over and above the increases that were given in the last Budget by the previous National Government.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is it a fact that the spokesperson for the protest yesterday on the forecourt of Parliament said that the reason they were protesting was nine years of National neglect?SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. He has no responsibility for the—Hon Gerry Brownlee: He does it all the time poor old chap.SPEAKER: And the member comments all the time.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Yeah but mine are good.SPEAKER: Well how can I deal with it if the members advise me constantly?Simeon Brown: When he said that the offer was "fair" is he saying as David Clark did for nurses that that "there is no more money"?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: When I say that the offer is fair I've been pointing out that the offer is more than double anything that the teachers were offered and settled for under the previous National Government. I'm also saying that the offer is fair because the Government has made a clear commitment to address many of the non-pay issues that teachers have raised during their settlement. I say that the offer is fair because it is significantly ahead—significantly ahead—of what the previous Government were willing to even contemplate offering teachers."