Wilkinson Kate: Urgent Debates — Schools Canterbury—Proposed Closures and Mergers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Wilkinson Kate: Urgent Debates — Schools Canterbury—Proposed Closures and Mergers 
[Sitting date: 18 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5293. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 As one of the speakers in this House who actually comes from Canterbury and comes from Christchurch it is really interesting to see those who cannot even pronounce the names of the schools let alone know what it is like to live through earthquakes try to make some comment of any worth in this House. It would be a great thing if the education of our kids and our grandkids could be put above politics but what happens now in Christchurch is it is not. 
We get accused of some sort of breach of the embargo. It was not the Government that breached the embargo—it was not the Government that breached the embargo. We were not responsible for that breach of the embargo. Yes it was unfortunate but if we put it in perspective we have lost 4500 learners in Canterbury—in Waimakariri Christchurch and Selwyn. There are 4500 learners who have gone somewhere else and if the members on the other side believe that the loss of 4500 learners means that it is just business as usual then there is no wonder that they are still on those Opposition benches.  
We also talk about consultation. How many times have we heard that this has been out for consultation? This is not the first round of consultation. This is not the second round of consultation. This is the third round of consultation and it is still happening. Having said that there is still even after all these months in Christchurch an underlying fragility about the people of Canterbury—about the people of Christchurch Waimakariri and Selwyn. These are still challenging times. Change is difficult and we acknowledge that. We also acknowledge that the schools have been fantastic in being a rock for some of those kids for giving them some sense of stability and some sense of normality. Of course change is difficult but when we lose 4500 learners something simply has to happen.  
I would like to mention some welcome news from the announcement. In Waimakariri we have been waiting for a long time for the announcement that we would get a new school and now we get a new school in Pegasus. We have a new subdivision there with an extra 1800 homes and an increased population of 4700 residents. Yes it means the closure of Waikuku School but for those who do not live in the area Waikuku School has actually been wanting to close and shift to Pegasus for some time now. It has not only outgrown its premises it has outgrown its parking it has outgrown its drop-off and pick-up areas and it has outgrown its septic tank requirements. So for them the announcement of a new primary school for Pegasus town will bring relief to the parents the primary school’s children and the community in that electorate. We have been waiting for that for some time and that is certainly some welcome news.  
I just want to make one mention and it might be a wee bit off topic that private schools in our area have also been impacted yet Labour hates private schools. The only thing I can think of as to why it hates private schools is that private schools gave it Michael Cullen. But private schools have been damaged and impacted by the earthquake. My own school has no chapel no dining room no science block no arts block and no swimming pool. The students have been in marquees since the earthquake. Do they complain? No. Do they get criticised by the Opposition? Yes. Private schools also provide fantastic education for our schools in Christchurch.  
It would be wonderful if this could be seen as an opportunity to have a world-leading education system in Canterbury—not guinea pigs; actual improvement to have a world-leading education system in Canterbury Waimakariri Selwyn and Christchurch and not just as an opportunity for that side of the House to use its union mates to incite protests and rallies. Our kids are better than that and our kids deserve better than that. Education is above politics—it is above politics and so it should be.