Rich Katherine: Education (Tertiary Reforms) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Rich Katherine: Education (Tertiary Reforms) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:643;Page:13192] 
KATHERINE RICH (National) 
: 
 I think a better name for the Education (Tertiary Reforms) Amendment Bill would be the “Education (Tertiary Reforms) Here We Go Again Amendment Bill” because frankly this Government continues to reform and reform but does not get anywhere. A lot of tertiary providers are suffering from reform fatigue because here we are again talking about stuff that Labour has been talking about for the last 8 years but getting nowhere. After the expenditure of $419 million here we are again. Talk about value for money! And that is one of the objectives of the bill. 
My question to the Minister of Education would be how it is value for money that here we are debating this bill 8 years after Labour started talking about reforming the tertiary sector and having spent that amount. That money did not go on students; it basically went on the production of a whole set of glossy documents and “thinkpieces” culminating in this bill here today. 
This bill is supposed to increase transparency. It is supposed to ensure that there is better spending in the tertiary sector. Well I have not seen any evidence that this bill will contribute to that. In effect it will contribute to a greater amount of bureaucracy that tertiary providers have to face and a greater number of plans strategic plans documents workshops hui and sitting around on yoga mats with crossed legs and talking about stakeholder engagement. That will make no difference to students. Ultimately I think tertiary reform has to make a difference to students. I would like to hear from the Minister why this bill will make a difference for students. 
Lesley Soper 
: How many tertiary students have you spoken to recently? 
KATHERINE RICH 
: There is Lesley Soper again the most useless member of the New Zealand Educational Institute. During the Invercargill reforms she said nothing and did nothing. The schools in Invercargill just about kicked her out of there. 
Lesley Soper 
: How many tertiary students have you spoken to recently? 
KATHERINE RICH 
: She is still going on. 
Hon Member 
: The Labour Party is trying to get rid of her. 
KATHERINE RICH 
: That is right. Labour people do not want her in Dunedin. They are bending over backwards to make sure they do not have her in Dunedin—that is for sure. 
I turn back to the bill. This bill was designed to move away from a “bums on seats” mentality in universities to one that was less demand-led. But this Government has put more bums on the seats of courses such as radio singalongs homeopathy for pets knitted jackets for small pets and pendulum swinging for beginners. The expenditure on those kinds of areas has increased over a period of time. 
Simon Power 
: The member can’t be serious. 
KATHERINE RICH 
: Well I might have made up the knitted jackets for small pets course. I will admit that but the others are true. 
This bill will not lead to a greater amount of relevance and transparency. 
Lesley Soper 
: What was the unemployment rate under National? What happened to the apprenticeship system under National? 
KATHERINE RICH 
: There is Lesley Soper again. Her dress sense is inspired by a Prince video. That is right; she could have had a part in the “Raspberry Beret” video. 
But I will go back to the bill. If this bill is so popular why did the Vice-Chancellors Committee come out and make such damning comments about it? Why did it say that the bill would bring in unprecedented control of the tertiary sector put academic freedom at risk and put more control in the hands of the Minister than we have seen? 
Lesley Soper 
: Read clause 3. 
KATHERINE RICH 
: She is still going. I think we on this side of the Committee have really hit a nerve with our debate. By sitting in that seat she obviously has aspirations to be the chief whip. But even Dunedin will not have her and Invercargill is not very keen either. 
I would like to pay tribute to the chairman of the Education and Science Committee Brian Donnelly because I think he did a good job in terms of trying to address some of the industry’s concerns. But a lot of people within the tertiary education sector are still deeply concerned about the impact on academic freedom and deeply concerned that this bill will bring in more red tape and bureaucracy—not less. The concentration on planning to the nth degree does not make a single bit of difference to students and ultimately that has to be the focus of all tertiary reform. The Minister may wish to move away from a demand-led approach but demand still plays a part. Certainly we have shortages in the area of the early childhood sector as I have outlined. I hope that the Tertiary Education Commission is able to deal with that as well. 
Lesley Soper 
: Don’t take any trouble to read it. 
KATHERINE RICH 
: She does not give up. 
Simon Power 
: Take a call! 
KATHERINE RICH 
: The member should take a call. She manages not to give any speeches in the Chamber. The only thing I have ever heard her say is “I move that the question be now put.” That is obviously the sign of a frustrated speaker. [ 
Interruption 
] And there is Sue Moroney the only person in the Committee who can knock the last two letters off her name and get “moron”. Thank you.