Strange JamieJAMIE STRANGE (Labour): That speech pretty much sums up the Opposition: conspiracy theories. If they're so worried about things not going right why don't they find out who the leaker was in the Opposition there?CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Order!JAMIE STRANGE: I will return to the bill Madam Chair.This bill is about one thing. We've got the Hon Nikki Kaye over there and we've got her team behind her and they've all got their lines and that's OK but this bill is about one thing: do we as a country want teachers on the governing body for teachers? Do we: yes or no? Do we want teachers elected by teachers to be on there? On this side of the House the answer is yes. The Opposition have a different view and that's fine. Why do we want teachers elected on to this council? Because teachers know what is happening in the classrooms of New Zealand.For the first time ever as my colleague mentioned we're going to have teachers from the early childhood sector. This is one thing that is particularly exciting for me because the first five years of a child's life are absolutely vital in terms of how they will carry on.If we look at the composition of the council in section 380(1)(b)—this is in clause 5—we see in subparagraphs (i) to (iv) that there is one teacher representing early childhood one representing the primary sector one representing the secondary sector and one representing ongoing teacher education. So that's four teachers who are at the coalface. They are absolutely in the classroom living the job. They know the changes that may need to happen in their profession. They know the challenges. They're right there. Then paragraph (b) continues with subparagraphs (v) (vi) and (vii) which are talking about a principal from primary a principal from secondary and a lead teacher from early childhood. So we've got three teachers around the area of leadership. So we've got those at the coalface and we've got those in leadership and I think that's an excellent balance.I do wonder what the Opposition have against teachers being on the Teaching Council and that's the key question.Hon Member: There's six of them now.JAMIE STRANGE: Yes there may be one or two but the reality is we're talking about elected teachers. The way the legislation currently is we may or may not have a teacher on there. There was no guarantee under the previous legislation. This guarantees seven teachers on the Teaching Council.There was something mentioned opposite there about the partnership schools. Now the way the Opposition talks about partnership schools is that they think it's the most wonderful thing since sliced bread. How many charter schools did the previous Government bring in? Maybe 200 300? I mean they really believed in them. No? One hundred 50? No. Thirty charter schools? Twenty 15? Twelve charter schools. The reason I say this is because I'm responding to what one of the Opposition members said waxing lyrical about the benefits of charter schools. There are only 12 in existence. Did the previous Government really believe in them? I don't think so. There are only 12.I'm just going to finish on my one point there which is around having Aotearoa" in the name. It's Māori Language Week at the moment and I think it is particularly appropriate to mention that we do have the word "Aotearoa" in the Teaching Council.Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Kia ora tātou e Te Whare. When we rose for the dinner break the committee was considering Part 1 of the Education (Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand) Amendment Bill. Jamie Strange had the call with one minute and five seconds remaining should he so wish.JAMIE STRANGE: Madam Chair thank you for the opportunity to finish my speech. As I say the crux of this bill is having teachers elected on the Teaching Council guaranteeing teacher representation on the Teaching Council. Simeon Brown: How many are there now?JAMIE STRANGE: That's the question that I ask the Opposition. Why do you not want elected members from the teaching profession on the Teaching Council? The teachers are at the coalface so the teachers know some of the challenges in the classroom and so the teachers are in the best place to provide that insight around that.I commend this bill to the committee and I thank the Minister for the work he's done on this."