Robertson GrantGENERAL DEBATEHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I move That the House take note of miscellaneous business. Yesterday was a great day for fairness and for the future of New Zealand because 27 years after user-pays entered tertiary education the tide has turned back. I want to thank the member the Hon Chris Hipkins for leading that charge. In the great traditions of the first Labour Government and Peter Fraser who extended out secondary education because they recognised that was necessary for people to fully participate in society this Labour Government is saying: learning is for life. Learning is for life it is for the future of work and it is fair.The fifth Labour Government when it came into office took interest off student loans—that was an unfairness—and it expanded allowance eligibility. This Labour-led Government supported by New Zealand First and the Greens now has the opportunity to give to New Zealanders the chance for all of them to fulfil their potential not just the lucky few.I want to read to you a statement from a schoolteacher who put this on social media. She said Today I told my class that by the time they start university in 2025 or 2026 the three years fee policy will be fully rolled out for them. They went very quiet and then very loud and excited talking about all the things they could study. My kids have always been bright enough but now they'll have the means and suddenly university is for them the obvious next step after college like it was for me and everyone else at my decile 8 school. Most of them will be the first in their family to go on to tertiary education. One boy who no joke told me in year 4 that he wanted to be a tribesman when he grows up asked me about engineering degrees. I told him about the prospectuses and he sat there for a good 20 minutes of his free time reading and comparing programmes." That's the difference this side of the House will make. That's the difference because we have ambition for every single student in New Zealand—not just the ones from the high-decile schools but for every young New Zealander to go on to study to train to take up an apprenticeship to get new skills.This Government is committed to equity in education to education for all. And I issue a challenge today to the National Party: are they going to get rid of free fees? Are they going to get rid of it? Is Paula Bennett of all the people going to get rid of it?Hon Paula Bennett: When we're in in two years buddy.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Are you? Are you going to get rid of it?Hon Paula Bennett: When we're in Cabinet in two years.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: They are not going to commit to that because just like interest-free student loans and just like Working for Families—"communism by stealth" John Key said. John Key stood in this House and said he would oppose interest-free loans with every bone in his body. What did he do? He behaved like a jellyfish when he got into Government and accepted the whole thing.This party on this side of the House and the support parties who are with us know that education is essential in the 21st century for the future of work: the good and decent jobs that will be created in New Zealand need people to go on and train throughout their lives. There is more to do. There is always more to do to make education fair and accessible for every single New Zealander but I want to pay tribute today to all of those people who for the last 27 years have fought to keep free education on the agenda. It is hard to turn around the neo-liberal user-pays philosophy that was I admit brought in by the then fourth Labour Government and then made worse by the National Party that came in. But this Government is committed to turning that around.This Government is committed to making sure that wherever you grow up in New Zealand whether you are rich or you are poor whether you come from town or you come from country whatever you are interested in pursuing that will develop you as a person that will grow your skills that will add to the productivity of our country—we will support you to do that.This is a great policy. This is a great day for New Zealand because finally we are able to say we have turned the tide on user-pays education. Education is for all. Education is a public good. This is something that is in the DNA of the Labour Party. I thank New Zealand First and the Greens for their strong support in making sure that we can advance this policy. New Zealanders going into tertiary training apprenticeships polytechnics universities and wānanga next year will know that they will have a free year and that they would have three free years if they continue to support a Labour-led Government."