Mallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:664;Page:12309] 
8. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: When she said yesterday that “This is a bedding-in year for the Standards and feedback from parents is vital” did she include the feedback from the more than 37000 New Zealanders who have signed a petition expressing deep concern with the Government’s national standards policy? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Yes. I am always happy to receive feedback from parents about national standards. I note however that the union that organised that petition has a long history of opposition to the standards and of spreading misinformation. But I say to the member that I will take those 37000 unionists and I will raise him the 1050000 New Zealanders who voted for a National Government to introduce national standards in reading writing and maths. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: When she said that from the beginning of 2011 some additional funding would be available to support students at primary and intermediate schools who are not meeting national standards did she mean that additional funding will go to all students who are not meeting national standards via their schools or only to the schools that are not meeting the national standards overall? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I have not said anything about that extra $36 million going specifically to schools as yet. The most important thing about the national standards is what the next steps are and we are working on that now. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would like to quote from a letter from the Minister and then table it. The letter states— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I seek leave to table a letter from the Minister that states: “From the beginning of 2011 some additional funding will be available to support primary and intermediate students who are not meeting the national standards.” 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is seeking leave to table a document. He is describing the document from the Minister. Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Can she therefore confirm that extra funding will be available next year for all students who are below or well below national standards? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I can confirm that in the Budget $36 million is available from the beginning of next year over the next 4 years to address the national standards. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I deliberately made it a very specific very detailed question. I asked whether the Minister can confirm that it will be available— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I accept the member’s point. His question was commendably to the point. But I think it is fair to say that the Minister answered it in a way that makes it fully clear that those decisions have not been made yet. That is the clear impression I got from the Minister’s answer. 
Allan Peachey 
: What feedback has the Minister received from practitioners on how parents view national standards? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Principals and teachers throughout the country are getting on with the job of providing good-quality information to parents about their child’s progress. One email from a practitioner stated: “We have now completed our first written reports to parents using the national standards. Feedback has been positive along with our face-to-face parent interviews. I also believe that for the first time in my years as principal we are now seeing much more focused reports to parents being made about progress because the standards require a sound judgment in reading writing and maths.” 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Why is the Minister prepared to tell a parent that money will be available for students but she is not prepared to tell this House that? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: That is ridiculous. The Budget quite clearly shows that $36 million is available to address the national standards. I have been at public meetings around the country saying that $36 million is available from the beginning of next year to address the national standards. It is no secret. The details of how that money will be spent have not yet been published. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: When she stated: “This is a bedding-in year for the Standards …” was she accepting the statement of the over 37000 New Zealanders who asked her to trial the standards and the statement from her key adviser on the standards John Hattie that if she cannot convince the vast majority of teachers that her national standards will lead to improved literacy and numeracy they will be abandoned? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: No.