Willis Nicola; Rurawhe AdrianNICOLA WILLIS (National): The bottom line is: why would you stop something that is working? Those were Peeni Henare's words and they were wise words and they are words that members opposite have not heeded. We have had speeches today from people making all sorts of claims about partnership schools but the people we have not heard from are the parents whose lives and whose families have been transformed by the experience of having their children attend partnership schools.I want to read from the submission from Ms Tiffiny Hodgson a mother of a chronic dyslexic who attended Villa Education Trust. She says Within 3 months of the new school year there was an incredible change. My angry miserable and increasingly problematic son came home happy. And learning. He read his first 'chapter book' … He wanted to learn and wanted to go to school. 'Mummy I never knew I could be good at anything.' " Then she goes on to say "Not all schools fit all kids. … the idea of abandoning the Partnership model altogether … takes away a much needed option for [families] like ours. There are few enough options for some kids … without taking away schools that are already working well."I thank Tiffiny Hodgson because she goes to the heart of the matter which is that today in this House Labour members are choosing to fundamentally revoke a system that has worked for hundreds of students and hundreds of families because they believe that they know better what is right for those families and what they should choose. We've had the inglorious claim that somehow these partnership schools aren't closing; that they will continue when in fact right now there is a claim before the Waitangi Tribunal protesting the very fact that these schools are being closed. The model which allowed for their own management their own funding their own pay rates for teachers has been removed and where submitters have been very clear is that the process that has been forced upon them by the Minister of Education has caused inordinate trouble for parents and families.Let's talk about Alwyn Poole because Minister Martin raised Alwyn Poole in her speech and said that Alwyn Poole was happy about these changes. Well I want to quote what Alwyn Poole said at select committee: "The processes we are finding incredibly fraught and extremely difficult. We want to be respectful of the ministry but at the moment we are under two processes." Those are the words of a school leader who feels completely pressured and bullied by the Government but who is going through a fraught and extremely difficult process. And the saddest thing of all is that the debate that we have had about the future of partnership schools the changes that have been made have meant that these excellent education leaders who have been transforming the lives of young people have been distracted by this sort of thing and will continue to be distracted by a new model that will be clunky and will not work as well for them or the children that they are there to serve.We have had a State system of education in New Zealand for many decades that has delivered well for many many children and many of us are grateful for that strong public education system. But it is foolish of members opposite to pretend that that system delivers for every child. For far too long that system has failed Māori and Pasifika children in particular and for far too long that system has not delivered for groups of children. Partnership schools were a way of attacking that. They were a way of saying "Let's try something different. Let's not give up on those kids. And let's not be naïve enough to simply pretend that if we say 'public education' enough times with a big enough smile on our face it'll mean that it's working for them." Well it wasn't working for them it's not working for them and partnership schools were and that is why they should remain.Instead we have had a Government that has removed this model without considering the evidence of their success without consulting the parents who support them without consulting Māori who view them as a wonderful form of providing self-determination. And the people who should find it hardest to sleep in bed tonight are the members of the Labour Party opposite who said that they would campaign against the closure of these schools: Willie Jackson who said that these schools were fundamental for Māori that he truly believed in the model and that this alternative style of education gets an A every day—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe): Order! The member's time has expired. This is a split call—five minutes. I call Jo Luxton."