Donnelly Brian: Address in Reply 
Donnelly Brian: Address in Reply 
[Volume:628;Page:443] 
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY (NZ First) 
: 
 First Mr Deputy Speaker I extend my congratulations to Madam Speaker to yourself and to the two Assistant Speakers on your election to your respective roles. 
Back in 1998 on the break-up of the New Zealand First – National Government I sat on the Opposition benches for a week while still a member of the executive. Sir Geoffrey Palmer called it a constitutional outrage and said that there was no precedent for such a situation. However my doing so was consistent with my pledge to the then Prime Minister Jenny Shipley to enable a secure transfer of power. Parliamentary precedence is made by what MPs do when faced with novel circumstances. So it is with the current arrangements that New Zealand First has made post-election. However I must admit that yesterday I was faced with a huge procedural dilemma. I wanted a glass of water and I could not quite work out which lobby I should go to in order to get it. In the end I got one from the centre Table but seeing that I am not part of the Government I probably should have gone to the Noes lobby. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: New Zealand First is part of the Government. 
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY 
: We might just mention Robert Reich if Mr Henare keeps on with that. 
In the Speech from the Throne the following point was made: “The security of the New Zealand economy in the 21st century will come from the ability of our firms to be part of a high skill high productivity and high wage economy.” Such outcomes are premised on an education system that delivers people with the necessary skills. 
That brings me to a point in the confidence and supply agreement negotiated by New Zealand First which contains a pledge for further exploration of the creation of a non - university “university of technology” class of institution. At present our tertiary structure is missing a vital piece. We have for example a university of technology that in fact is not a university of technology because there is no such entity in New Zealand. The chair of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee indicated to the Education and Science Committee that the institution is not a university either yet the Government classifies it as such. I ask members not to take it from my remarks that the institution is anything but a quality institution but the situation highlights the mess we have got ourselves into. 
The point of tension in the system began when polytechnics and institutions of technology were allowed to issue degrees. The issuing of degrees was inevitable as the nature of knowledge in the vocational areas traditionally taught by those institutions became more complex. For example in 1990 the radiography course was taught by the Auckland Hospital Board and dealt with administering X-rays. Now the technology requires an understanding of magnetic resonance imaging ultrasound radiotherapy and a whole range of elements that almost demand a degree in physics. So for us to continue to recognise the acquisition of the necessary knowledge and skills for what is now called “imaging” with a 2-year diploma is no longer adequate. A bachelors degree and indeed a masters degree are appropriate. We now have for example degree programmes in auto-mechanics. 
The problem is that the institutions granting those degrees justifiably desire parity of esteem for their qualifications. But when a couple of institutions applied to be converted to university status—as far back I might say as 1996—there was nothing in the legislation but a relatively vague definition of what a university was. So some profile around the proportion of degree programmes and the volume and nature of research etc. had to be established. The Auckland University of Technology of course successfully negotiated that process albeit the chair of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee was not convinced. Unitec was not able to get through the process by the time Labour became the Government. The difficulty is that for institutions to gain parity of esteem for their qualifications they have to create a profile in order to become like traditional universities. 
New Zealand First looks forward to being able to cut the Gordian knot of this intractable policy problem as a result of its confidence and supply agreement. It is just another bauble that we are happy to accept.