Donnelly Brian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Donnelly Brian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:623;Page:18243] 
11.  
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY (NZ First) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Education 
: Can he explain how a question which included the term “National MP not sympathetic to Maori concerns” in an NCEA examination is not a politicisation of the examination process? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Associate Minister of Education) 
: 
 Yes because exams are set under considerable constraints in order to ensure that the papers produced are fair and valid. I do not consider it appropriate for politicians to judge the content of examination questions. Rather it is my job as Minister to ensure that robust processes are in place and followed by those who are properly qualified to set examinations. I am confident that in this instance that is the case. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Is it not true that the question would have been just as valid if it had referred to either a Government MP or simply an MP; if so what is the significance of labelling the caricature as a National MP if not to politicise the question? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: That may well be the case in terms of the first part of the question but I have as the member will have done seen the extensive explanation and justification from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. I find that both extensive and convincing. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If the Minister is telling the House that he has seen an extensive justification for this question and presumably the model answer to that question—he has just said that; it will be on the  
Hansard 
 record—will he now table it so that everyone in the House can see it? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is a supplementary question. It is not a point of order but it is a perfectly valid supplementary question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: It was not a supplementary question; it was a point of order. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It was not a point of order. 
Simon Power 
: What action will he take when this incident involving a biased exam question is the latest in a series of politically biased actions taken by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority including the posting of anti-National press releases on its website and the approval of a National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)# exam question that asserted that the free market leads to income inequality? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: As I have already said I do not believe this question was biased. If I could refer to Mr Brownlee’s comments that statement was published comprehensively in the print media. In terms of the other matter that Mr Power raised I have seen his rather extravagant press statement today. I would be happy to look into the matters he has raised. 
Deborah Coddington 
: How can he have confidence in the NCEA examiners when this history question is just not an isolated incident but the latest in a long series of concerns raised by teachers including a history question that was withdrawn at the last minute because there was no one to assess it; if he does have confidence in them why? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I have confidence in the examiners because they do a good job professionally. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Can the Associate Minister confirm or deny that given that there are only two current MPs who were National MPs in 1980 and the caricature is definitely not that of Winston Peters the caricature is in fact that of Dail Jones? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: It would seem unlikely but I have no other useful comment to make. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would like some clarity to be given to the House on the comments made by Mr Benson-Pope. Is he telling us that a major newspaper has published the model answer to the question that we find so particularly offensive politically? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: The answer is no though. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member has made his point.