12. Schools—Funding and FeesCHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of EducationSchools—Funding and Fees12. CHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of Education: Is she concerned at the amount of money parents often have to pay for education at State and State-integrated schools; if not why not?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. The costs incurred by parents are determined by their school. The decisions they make over uniforms the teaching and learning programme that they decide to deliver and therefore the stationery and equipment that is required are all determined by their school so I would be concerned if those schools are not doing it in consultation with and with an awareness of their parent community.Chris Hipkins: Is the Nelson Budget Service wrong when it states that the number of parents seeking help with increased school costs has increased: It's higher than it should be it's definitely higher than it's been in the past and it seems to be creeping up."?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I have no responsibility for the Nelson Budget Service but I do have for Vote Education and Vote Education is the highest it has ever been. It has gone up by 35 percent when student numbers have gone up by 3.56 percent so this Government is not under-funding education—quite the opposite. In terms of parental contributions to the revenue of a school it remained at about 1.8 percent all through the administration of the Opposition and it remains the case today. However where a parent is finding difficulty then there is support available from Work and Income New Zealand and from their own schools because the operational grant is discretionary.Chris Hipkins: Does she acknowledge that Statistics New Zealand figures show that since she became Minister of Education in 2011 parental contributions have increased 23 percent almost five times the rate of inflation?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I cannot acknowledge that. I am not aware that that is the case. I am happy to look at that. But based on the information we have which is the financial reports of each individual school every year we can say that donations to schools are about 1.8 percent of which parental contributions are a part. They do not make up the entirety of that.Chris Hipkins: Is she concerned that a recent survey found that one in five parents revealed they had sacrificed basic necessities including food electricity clothing and personal hygiene in order to cater for the cost of sending their children back to school; if so does she still believe that the Government is honouring its legal commitment to provide a free school education for Kiwi kids?Hon HEKIA PARATA: That member's record in quoting surveys is parlous at best so I am not aware of that particular survey. In fact that member was also reporting the costs that ASG used in its survey and given that its client base is private schools which make up 3.7 percent of the New Zealand education system in neither regard are they representative of the issues being spoken about. However as my colleague the Minister already indicated this Government is the first Government in I think 43 years to raise benefit incomes for those families most at risk. This is also the Government that has provided in Vote Education in last year's Budget just over $43 million to be targeted at those families most at risk. Again if there are particular families who have concerns there are agencies standing ready to assist them.Chris Hipkins: Given she has mentioned it has she seen the data compiled by ASG that shows that parents of a child born today can expect to pay almost $40000 for their child's education in a State school? Is that not yet more proof that schooling in New Zealand is not free?Hon HEKIA PARATA: There are a number of questions about the ASG survey because the bulk of their clients first of all are Australian private schools and in New Zealand they again relate largely to private schools. The member would actually be better spending his time looking at what the actual investment is through the Treasury account of what we spend rather than selecting specious examples to support his weak arguments.Chris Hipkins: Is the president of the Principals' Federation Whetu Cormick wrong when he states that due to Government underfunding "schools will be forced to put pressure on families to help increase their operations grant."; if not why will she not admit that lack of Government funding is making a mockery of New Zealand kids' legal right to a free schooling?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Yes he is wrong. This Government is not underfunding education. How can it—[Interruption] If the member occupies that universe of "alternative facts" then yes the member might be correct. But how is it possible to argue that? Funding has gone up 35 percent to $11.04 billion while student numbers have gone up 3.56 percent. How can that gap in funding be described as "underfunding" in anybody's world? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order in that quarter as well!Question No. 5 to MinisterRON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Reflecting on the questions that I asked and the answer I received in your deliberation—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order.RON MARK: Mr Speaker can I ask you I know that when you return to your office you always review the transcripts and you always review the answers. The point that I would ask you to consider is that I never asked the Minister what allocation she had made; I asked her what allocations had been made. She has avoided the question by saying she does not make those decisions about allocations. I think she completely ducked the question. I think she should have answered my question specifically given the advice from Police.Mr SPEAKER: I will do the member a deal. I will go back and look at the Hansard today if the member also has a look at the Hansard from yesterday and the tone of questions that came from his own leader throughout question time yesterday afternoon."