Willis NicolaNICOLA WILLIS (National): Contrary to the remarks of the previous speaker Mark Patterson National does commend reductions in costs to parents. We think efforts to reduce costs to New Zealanders across the board are a good idea and we do commend efforts to give schools certainty of funding but it is our role as the Opposition to hold the Government to account for their policies and to ask the questions that New Zealanders are asking about this policy.I just want to highlight the reality of the way the decile exclusions in this policy will come into effect and I want to take the example of Wellington Central. I am a list MP. I am based in Wellington Central and in that electorate there are only three schools that will be eligible for this policy. What that means is that there will be 8192 students who will not be eligible for assistance from this policy at all because they attend schools that are decile 8 9 and 10. Hon Andrew Little: It's a decision by the school. NICOLA WILLIS: Now you can argue Mr Little that there are no families in Wellington who lack the material income who lack the ability to pay donations but you would be wrong because in fact the decile system is a very rough and ready reckoner. In all parts of the Wellington Central electorate—whether you're looking in Karori whether you're looking in Mount Cook whether you're looking in central Wellington—there are families who earn below the median income and struggle with the costs each week. They are not eligible for this policy. Mr O'Connor there he should be aware too that in Ōhāriu there are only two schools that will be eligible for this policy—6952 students will not benefit from this policy. So we here on the Opposition ask the simple question which is why is that fair? Why is that equitable? Why is that the right way to divvy up the pie? We will look forward to examining that question at select committee. We ask other questions too: what is the impact on integrated schools? Again here in Wellington Central St Teresa's School St Bernard's College Cardinal McKeefry School—they want to know does the policy apply to them? We want to know what is the definition of the donation? In the bill it suggests that it's something that is not legally obligated to be made but then we have the Prime Minister out there saying this will mean that children no longer miss out on extra activities just because parents can't afford voluntary donations". Well what is an extra activity versus what is an optional activity? These are questions that are already live in our school system and we need to know how it will apply. Finally I just want to point to the example of what will be excluded from this policy. I want to give you the example of Wellington College. It's a decile 10 school and I can guarantee to members of this House that there are students who attend that school who are from lower-income families. At Wellington College to attend that school the voluntary donations that are requested are a $90 general curriculum donation $170 for school development projects $330 technology donation $190 extra curriculum activities donation—a $780 donation. So the question that I then ask is how is it that these higher decile schools will be able to cover these costs? Finally I say: what is the monitoring regime going to be for this policy so that it is applied fairly? How will we ensure that it works? These are the questions we will examine at the select committee. So as I said National commends efforts to reduce costs to parents but when we do it we need to make sure it's effective and we need to make sure it's fair. That's why at the select committee we will examine those questions. Thank you Mr Speaker."