7. Question No. 7—EducationCAMILLA BELICH (Labour) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 7—Education7. CAMILLA BELICH (Labour) to the Minister of Education: What progress has the Government made in improving school buildings and property since 2017?Hon JAN TINETTI (Minister of Education): This Government has made huge progress on improving school property and buildings since 2017. We know that having warm dry and fit-for-purpose classrooms is vital for the educational outcomes of our kids. Since 2017 98 percent of schools have received funding for property upgrades through the School Investment Package 5YA Ngā iti Kahurangi and the National School Redevelopment Programme. Of the 14686 projects which have been undertaken across these programmes since 2017 50 percent are complete.Camilla Belich: How has the school improvement package benefited schools?Hon JAN TINETTI: The school improvement package was introduced to give schools the opportunity to bring forward their discretionary projects and enhance their facilities for students. Of the 2054 schools with school improvement package funding—or SIP projects—more than 90 percent of schools have had at least one SIP project completed.Camilla Belich: How is the Government supporting schools with buildings and property affected by the North Island weather events?Hon JAN TINETTI: Following the devastating weather events earlier this year the Government provided immediate funding for the repairs to over 500 damaged schools. We have also committed to return all schools impacted by the Auckland flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle to their pre - weather-event state through the cyclone recovery package. We know that this has been an incredibly unsettling time for our young people and this will ensure our schools and communities have some certainty over their futures.Camilla Belich: How does this support wider investment in education?Hon JAN TINETTI: Having fit-for-purpose classrooms is an important foundation for education. We are also providing healthy school lunches free period products and supporting school attendance. We are taking action to improve the Curriculum and ensuring that NCEA is providing students with the skills they need for a successful life and as I always say a life full of choices.Nicola Grigg: Given those answers can she explain why despite a 2019 announcement from the then education Minister Chris Hipkins that Ellesmere College in Leeston would have a $30 million rebuild to be completed next year that school has now been advised that this project has been pushed out to 2028 due to a significant shortfall of funds"?Hon JAN TINETTI: The member made an assertion at the beginning of that statement that had nothing to do with the Ellesmere College projects.David Seymour: How long does it usually take the Minister to reply to correspondence from her office and when can my constituents at Victoria Avenue School expect a reply from this Minister in relation to my letter to her about the parlous state of their buildings which are leaking sliding down a hill and flooded due to varying issues that they face? When can they get a reply Minister?Hon JAN TINETTI: If the member actually contacts my office we'll be happy to give him a time for that reply.Rawiri Waititi: Given that capital works project funding was granted in 2018 for Ōpōtiki College which is a decile 2D school which was also at the same time that Tauranga Boys' College a decile 6 then and Lynmore Primary School decile 9 were also granted funding under the same scheme—both Tauranga Boys' College and Lynmore Primary School have had their projects completed since funding was granted in 2018 but Ōpōtiki has not had any projects completed under this funding grant. Why has the Ministry of Education and you as the Minister not prioritised the completion of upgrades and rebuilds for Ōpōtiki College?Hon JAN TINETTI: Ōpōtiki College has actually got quite a number of complex issues that are within it and we are working through that but if the member would like to have that conversation with me—I know the member wants to meet with me after question time—I'm really happy to have that conversation and let's find a way forward.David Seymour: Point of order. I seek leave to table emails and records showing that I've followed up with the Minister's office not once not twice but three times over the last two months trying to get her to respond.SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. They may be tabled.Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Point of order. In the supplementary question that Nicola Grigg asked the Minister the Minister's reply was that the question contained an assertion that was incorrect. Would it be appropriate for the Minister to point to the assertion that was incorrect—not explain why it wasn't but which part of the question she disputed?SPEAKER: To be frank I'm not sure. What I will do as we're still on the same question is I'm going to give her an extra supplementary and the member can use it and I'll listen a lot more carefully to it.Nicola Grigg: Thank you Mr Speaker. Can she explain why despite the 2019 announcement from the then education Minister Chris Hipkins that Ellesmere College in Leeston would have a $30 million rebuild to be completed next year the school has now been advised that this project has been pushed out to 2028 due to "significant shortfall of funds"?Hon JAN TINETTI: Ellesmere College is sitting on some land that is unstable. That was unknown about at the time—Hon Gerry Brownlee: No it's not. That's complete rubbish.Hon JAN TINETTI: Having said that this is my understanding of what I have been told. Therefore the costs have ballooned. If the member would like to put that in writing a more fulsome answer can come to her."