12. Teachers—Supply National and AucklandJENNY SALESA (Labour—Manukau East) to the Minister of EducationTeachers—Supply National and Auckland12. JENNY SALESA (Labour—Manukau East) to the Minister of Education: Is she satisfied that the Government is doing all that it can to ensure an adequate supply of teachers particularly in Auckland?Hon TIM MACINDOE (Associate Minister of Education) on behalf of the Minister of Education: I understand that for any school that does not have the full range of staff that they want this will be a difficult time. That is why we are working hard to increase teachers in the areas and subjects where they are needed through the diverse range of programmes available including more funding for Teach First NZ a $1 million package to encourage more teachers to stay in the profession and mentoring support and attracting new and innovative initial teacher training programmes by lifting the 17-year moratorium on new courses. The Education Council is also working to reduce the cost of teacher education refresher courses. All of these initiatives build on the $9 million package from 2016 which included the Bring a Kiwi Home campaign 100 extra TeachNZ scholarships a social media campaign promoting teaching to STEM graduates and a UK recruitment campaign to identify UK teachers interested in moving here to fill vacancies when a New Zealand teacher cannot be found. In Auckland specifically we have targeted the Beginning Teachers Project and extended the assistance of recruitment services.Jenny Salesa: What is the number of teacher vacancies across the country and how many schools are currently short staffed?Hon TIM MACINDOE: That has moved beyond the bounds of the original question so I do not have the exact information that the member is asking for but if she would like to put down a written question I will certainly have a look at it for her. However we are certainly as I have mentioned in a very comprehensive answer utilising a range of different measures to tackle the problem that she is addressing.Jenny Salesa: Given the Minister cannot answer that question what does she think of the fact that over two-thirds of Auckland teachers are thinking about or actively planning to leave Auckland as a result of the housing crisis and what is she doing to ensure that Auckland schools can find and retain the teachers that they need right now?Hon TIM MACINDOE: I reject the initial assertion there but I would just make the point that there are two initiatives that have already been announced that will be of assistance to Auckland schools. The Beginning Teachers Project is a 2-year project between the Auckland Primary Principals' Association and the ministry supporting 40 provisionally certified primary teachers to gain the skills—[Interruption] It is interesting that they ask the question but they are not interested in listening to the answer. The project is designed to enable these provisionally certified primary teachers to gain the skills needed to teach junior classes particularly new-entrant classes and the ministry has also extended access to specialist—[Interruption] They are not remotely interested in listening.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I think the problem is that the answer is going on for quite a long time.Jenny Salesa: Does she think it is acceptable that one in five schools has already had to cancel classes or transfer to distance learning because a suitable specialist teacher could not be found; and does this not show that the Government's response is nothing more than an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff?Hon TIM MACINDOE: As I mentioned in my primary answer we appreciate the fact that for any school facing a shortage this is a difficult time but we are taking action. We are actively working on the problem we are implementing a range of initiatives and this is the sort of support that the schools are welcoming.Jenny Salesa: Does she think her Government's delayed response is enough given the Auckland Primary Principals' Association president stated this is the worst shortage she had seen in 30 years and is it not time New Zealanders were offered a fresh approach to actually solve these problems?Hon TIM MACINDOE: I have just identified a whole range of initiatives that are being taken. This is not a delayed response. Rolls fluctuate the numbers of teachers fluctuate and people move within cities and around the country all of the time. All sorts of initiatives are under way and I welcome those as do the schools.