9. Question No. 9—EducationHon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 9—Education9. Hon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of Education: Does he agree with the Waitakere Area Principals' Association that estimates the changes proposed by the Tomorrow's Schools Independent Taskforce could cost up to $2 billion per year?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): The Waitakere Area Principals' Association's submission doesn't appear to detail how they arrived at those figures aside from three substantive proposals that they have costed in more detail—two of which I note have been endorsed by the National Party. I'd note that the task force is currently consulting on their draft recommendations and the Government isn't expecting to see their final report until the end of June.Hon Nikki Kaye: Which month of this year can we expect to see public costings given he's confirmed in written questions to me that he shelved his proposal to take costings to Cabinet in May?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: One of the reasons that no further proposals will be going to Cabinet in May is that the task force is not going to be reporting back until the end of June. We have extended the time frame for them to do so. I've been very clear that any further consideration by the Government of the task force's final recommendations will be after more detailed costing work and consideration of the pros and cons of any of their recommendations has been completed.Hon Nikki Kaye: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked a very specific question which is: which month did he expect costings to go to Cabinet? I know the time line in terms of the proposals of June but it is a very specific question.SPEAKER: And if the member asked just that question without everything around the edge of it the member might have got a specific answer or she might not have but certainly the member had an adequate response.Hon Nikki Kaye: Does he agree with the New Zealand Principals' Federation that the task force hubs evoke images of bureaucratically bloated education boards—a long-rejected entity that represented powerful central control?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I have been at some pains not to express a view on the task force's recommendations in this area until they have presented their final report. That is a matter for the task force to engage in consultation around which is what they are doing. I think it's really important that all New Zealanders who have a view on this have the opportunity to have their say. The Government has not considered in detail the task force's recommendations. We made the decision not to do so until further public consultation had taken place.Hon Nikki Kaye: Has he had any discussions with the Minister of Finance or Treasury about putting contingency funds aside to pay for changes coming out of the Tomorrow's Schools task force; and if not is he confirming that no policy changes will occur from the task force before the next Budget?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: In keeping with a longstanding tradition I don't intend to discuss what I've discussed with the Minister of Finance around the Budget.Jo Luxton: When will the Government consider the recommendations of the independent task force?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: As I indicated the Government's not expecting the final report of the task force until the end of June. When we do get the final report we will give that careful consideration including a rigorous cost-benefit analysis of any proposals that we might consider taking forward. As we do so we intend to continue a dialogue with those involved in education so that we can ensure that they are involved in the decision-making process and I have every intention also of continuing the dialogue with the Opposition that we've had over the task force's draft report to date.Hon Nikki Kaye: When he backed up the PM in confirming there is no more money for the teacher pay envelope was he guaranteeing that this Government won't spend hundreds of millions of dollars in bureaucratic education hubs instead of preventing more strikes?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: As I indicated in my answer to the primary question two of the three elements that the Waitakere Area Principals' Association identified in coming up with their costing were proposals that have been well supported including the establishment of learning support coordinators and moving to an equity index for funding schools. Both of those things have been endorsed by the National Party and are things that the Government is likely to progress. Having said that we'll make final decisions on that once we've received the task force's final recommendations.Hon Nikki Kaye: I seek leave to table the Our schooling Futures: Stronger Together report review by the Waitakere Area Principals' Association—SPEAKER: Order! Isn't that available on the web?Hon Nikki Kaye: No it's not. Well as far as I'm aware it's not available on the website. So actually this is—SPEAKER: Sorry I thought the submissions all were.Hon Nikki Kaye: —important so that the House can see all of the costings which include other detailed costings around the hubs.SPEAKER: All right. Any objection? There appears to be none.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.