Tabuteau FletcherFLETCHER TABUTEAU (NZ First): Thank you. It's a pleasure to rise on behalf of New Zealand First to speak to this bill. Firstly can I acknowledge Jan Tinetti and her considerable years of experience in education and the obvious passion she brings to the House in this area. So I congratulate her on her efforts and the intent she brings to the House with this member's bill. Congratulations.By way of context what we're trying to do here is basically by way of amendment in legislation simply have some formal acknowledgment that that National Party on that side of the House very much developed a cookie cutter factory kind of method way of putting our young children through the education system. They weren't worried about individual learning about the children themselves; it was about a process and that was what was more important to them.Under the previous legislation as alluded to by Miss Tinetti—great engagement by industry by advocates and by members of the public to the select committee on how best to use the framework to engage and to enforce and empower the New Zealand Curriculum document. I think it's clear from this bill the amendments herein that they weren't heard and this is an attempt to remedy that. Those advocates sought to ensure that our children were at the centre of the education model in New Zealand. The bill seeks to—and you'll forgive me for reading Madam Assistant Speaker—align the statement of National Education and Learning Priorities more closely with the New Zealand curriculum and provide an aspirational vision for the future [of] … New Zealanders." and then "to provide learning experiences that support children and young people to reach their potential and a system that aims to achieve equitable outcomes". I mean why would you oppose that? But the Opposition will come up with some reasons and I definitely don't agree with them as to why.Look I hate to say it but I was a teacher for 10 years.Brett Hudson: Why would you hate to say that?FLETCHER TABUTEAU: I hate to say it because Mr Hudson and others tend to criticise people who bring good experience in the House to speak to legislation but the reality is we designed a great New Zealand Curriculum document. It is rich it is thoughtful it is broad and it seeks to do more than just turn our children into output numbers. That party opposite decided they wanted to focus on those artificial outputs but the National Education and Learning Priorities will be brought into line with the New Zealand curriculum—that's what these amendments are seeking to do—which will mean more real support for children. This means building more resilience creativity and adaptability with a focus on developing great communication and interpersonal skills and to ensure that our youth can work collaboratively as well as individually—or independently I should say.So by way of conclusion New Zealand First absolutely supports the amendments of this bill empowering discussion and consultation that currently do not appear to be happening—again despite considerable efforts and submissions at the previous bill's hearing at select committee. So we look forward to the select committee process and again I commend the member for her efforts today. Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker."