Ngaro AlfredHon ALFRED NGARO (Minister for Pacific Peoples): There is a phrase I have often given in graduations or prize-givings which is: Education may be the power but attitude is the key for change." I believe that is critically important. I want to announce that I was very proud nearly 3 weeks ago up in Auckland to be able to announce as the Minister for Pacific Peoples nine scholarships called the Toloa Tertiary Scholarships for education which are particularly for graduates in particular for the STEM subjects: science technology engineering and mathematics. We had nine that were awarded—$25000 scholarships. There were 53 applicants. We now have for the first time again another nine that were put through under this Government to try to ensure that Pasifika are well represented in their place. It was pride of place for the families to see their young people do well. Why? Because education is critically important to them.We can also say that under this Government its reputation in regard to education is critically important. Before there were never targets. If you think about early childhood education I am proud to say that under this Government the participation rate for early childhood education for Pasifika is at 92.5 percent—92.5 percent. Why does that become important? Because we know that if our young people as Pasifika do not have the opportunity to go through Te Whāriki and the early childhood education system and are not able to have the basic building blocks then they often lag behind in regard to literacy and numeracy—92.5 percent is critical.We can also see the results as they track through the compulsory sector of education in the NCEA results—80 percent for 18-year-old Pasifika students. That is critically important. I suppose what does become a concern if we think about the whole phrase around "attitude is the key" is I think the fact that with attitude it is the opportunity to choose. And the announcement by the Opposition that it will do away with partnership schools if it becomes the Government becomes a concern for our Pasifika communities and our Māori communities. Why? Because over 50 percent of those partnership schools—the 10 that are there—and 93 percent of the 1200 students who are there are Māori and Pacific. Māori and Pacific. Why is it that they have chosen partnerships schools as an opportunity? Why? Because the mainstream system has been failing for a number of our kids.It is a concern when the Opposition does not choose to support the voice and the concerns of our Māori and Pasifika communities who are saying: "Give us an option. Give us a choice." That is as simple as it gets: "Give us a choice." I have been at the announcement for instance when there was The Rise UP Academy in Māngere—when Sita got up and when they got up and they turned around and said: "In Māngere all we want is the opportunity to choose. Give our children a go. Give our children a go." That is all they have asked for. The challenge of that is this: if the Opposition talks about how it is for Māori and Pasifika communities why does it not give them a go? It is a small percentage of the whole of the educational sector but you know 1200 kids? It cannot even do that—it cannot even do that.Here are the reasons why it all got a bit twisted: when Andrew Little thought he had his trump card—Andrew Little's Willie Jackson. He thought he had his trump card but here is where it got a bit sticky: Willie Jackson's kura is a partnership school. He is also too a supporter of Whānau Ora so it gets a little bit tricky; it gets a little bit hard. Those are the reasons why. It gets difficult for those communities and I know that the other member who is here—he is not here in the House and I cannot mention him because he is not here—one of the Pasifika members in the Labour Party over in Māngere knows the fact is that in Māngere the Pasifika constituents there want this partnership school. They support it.The Rise UP Academy is a Pasifika partnership school that is making a difference for these kids. But what will they say when they hear the words from Chris Hipkins? The Labour Party position on charter schools is crystal clear: "We don't support their establishment. When we are next in Government the legislation that allows for this creation will be repealed." In other words they will do away with it. Theirs is a divided house. Peeni Henare supports it. Kelvin Davis supports it. We know that is there as well. And Willie Jackson on the outside—what happens if he gets in? He supports it as well.The challenge for that Opposition is this: we know we are doing a good job; the results speak for themselves. In fact you can see it at Vanguard Military School with 92.7 percent 94.2 percent and 88 percent from National Certificate of Educational Achievement levels 1 2 and 3. The proof is in the pudding. If you are making a difference if it is successful why would you take it away again? Why take away the freedom of a community? We are talking about 1200 children—1200 children—in the education system a community of Māori Pasifika and others saying: "Give us a choice." But you cannot do that because you are mean-spirited you are unorganised you are disordered and you cannot make a difference. Partnership schools are making a difference for our Māori and Pasifika communities. Thank you."