Strange JamieJAMIE STRANGE (Labour): Thank you Madam Chair for an opportunity to take a call on the Education (National Education and Learning Priorities) Amendment Bill in the name of member Jan Tinetti. I'd first like to acknowledge Jan Tinetti an experienced and passionate educator and someone who brings to this House many years of experience in the education field. I'd also like to acknowledge the previous speaker Parmjeet Parmar who is the chair of the Education and Workforce Committee of which I am a member and we shepherded this bill and we heard a number of submissions on this bill.CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): I apologise to the member. I hate to interrupt you. We're having problems with ensuring that there are people sitting behind their file boxes. I hate to be the file box police but this is the second time—Chris Bishop: Oh go on!CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Shall I? No I'd prefer not to. I'd prefer for members to take responsibility for their own—Kiritapu Allan: My apologies.CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Continue.JAMIE STRANGE: I'd like to pick up on new section 1A(4A) inserted by clause 4(5) and just follow on from what a couple of the previous speakers have mentioned about consultation. Now I also agree that it's very important that the Minister does—CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): I apologise Mr Strange. Could the Opposition whip please deal with that matter. Mr Stuart Smith perhaps you could help me out here thank you. Mr Strange continue.JAMIE STRANGE: Thank you Madam Chair. So I'd just like to explore some of the key aspects around consultation. So new section 1A(4A)(a) talks about The Minister must make reasonable efforts to consult—(a) children and young people;".Why is this important? The reason I believe this is important is that when we have young people taking ownership of their education system I believe we get much better outcomes. We have a higher level of engagement because they are involved in forming their education system. It's about putting an aspect of trust and respect in the views of our children and young people. When I used to be a teacher I would often ask the students for feedback. I would say "How are we doing?" "Are you learning?" "What can I improve?" This is an example of that and it's an example of the Minister connecting with the young people.So we've basically got the full breadth of the spectrum. We've got the Minister seen as being at sort of the top of the education system and then we've got the students who are right there at the chalk face and that engagement covers the whole spectrum. I think that's really exciting to see.The next one paragraph (b) talks about "national bodies representing the interests of teachers;". Now teachers are naturally collaborative people and teachers like to collaborate. They like to work together and teachers would welcome the opportunity I believe to engage with their Minister.Another part here we talk about engaging with parents. So in paragraph (f) there: the Minister must engage with "bodies representing the interests of parents;". I'd like to ask the member: what would that body look like in terms of parents? As a parent of four children myself I believe many parents would be interested in engaging with the Minister about the education of their children. Certainly many parents have views around education and there are certain things they would like to see either added or removed and so I'm confident that they would welcome that. So I'd just ask the member: what may that body look like in terms of the make-up of that?In my last few seconds I'd just really like to sum up the importance of consultation. If we're going to learn anything from each other we must consult we must engage and we must collaborate and I support this bill to the committee for that reason.CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): I call the Hon Peeni Henare."