Burton Mark: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Burton Mark: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:648;Page:17510] 
Hon MARK BURTON (Labour—Taupo) 
: 
 I can see why Mr Peachey in the end is driven to take to his feet. He has been holding his head in shame. He has been embarrassed by listening to the so-called National Party spokesperson on education. Have we heard that there is more to do in education? Of course we have. Have we heard that there is more to achieve in education in New Zealand? Of course we have. But I say to the members opposite that it is time to stop abusing and criticising educators and teachers in this country because when they do what they have just spent the last 10 minutes doing while on their feet in this Chamber which was cheap political point-scoring it ignores the world-leading achievement of our teachers and our educators. 
I heard the whip on the Opposition side of the Chamber say “What about the tail? Tell us about the tail.” Of course there is work to do with regard to the tail of underachievement in education. This Government is seized of that matter. But I ask that member what about the world-leading success in education that the members of the Education and Science Committee have been privileged to hear about and what about the world-leading achievement of New Zealand teachers educators and schools that day in and day out we see and hear about? And what do they get from the miserable members opposite? They get criticism and carping for the sake of cheap political point-scoring. It is a shame and an embarrassment to this Committee that the members opposite do not have the dignity the courage—I am not allowed to say that; I withdraw and apologise for that remark—and the wherewithal to simply see that this is an occasion to acknowledge the good that they have heard about in terms of the education sector the teachers and schools of our country. 
One of the particulars that the member opposite struggled with was Schools Plus. She took the floor twice in order to try to find some problem with the idea that a major fundamental sea change in education would not be flipped out overnight but rather would be evolved after a careful process of policy development and consultation. Officials carefully explained to members of the Education and Science Committee that of course the policy development phase of that work would be undertaken because it is a high priority. Indeed no higher priority exists out of the existing baseline funding. I would have thought that a responsible Opposition would say: “Yes well done ministry officials; well done Government for that matter.” Responsible use of existing resources the Government’s No. 1 priority gets priority use of the existing policy resources. That is called good Government. The Minister and the officials made it very clear that the resources would be there in future Budgets for programme roll-out when that is appropriate. 
Now I can understand why Mr Peachey feels compelled to take a call to try to salvage some small shred of dignity and respect for the Opposition after the shameful and embarrassing performance of the person who pretends to be the spokesperson on education for the National Party. I want to say very clearly to that member that this Government has made an investment in education second to no other Government in the history of New Zealand. We have seen huge initiatives huge roll-outs and a huge commitment to improving at the basic level literacy and numeracy adequacy in our schools and our children. That goes through to the trades and skills training area which is critical to New Zealand and was totally destroyed in the 1990s by the National Government. We have reinvested in that area and recreated the wrecked and destroyed apprenticeship system. Our investment goes through to the tertiary level—to advanced senior tertiary education at the degree and postgraduate levels. 
This has been a historic period of investment in education in New Zealand and New Zealanders have got behind it. New Zealanders have invested in it and worked alongside and with this Government. I suggest to members that this is a time for this Committee to put aside the sort of petty partisan contributions we have witnessed. I look forward to Mr Peachey trying to make some amends for the shameful embarrassment arising from the comments of his party’s so-called spokesperson on education.