Martin TraceyTRACEY MARTIN (NZ First): I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to take a call after that member Stuart Smith has just resumed his seat. This is what happens unfortunately when you have members of the National backbench who get a few notes with some statistics in them and a couple of actual clauses and who know nothing about what they are talking about. That is what is really unfortunate about discussions like this. New Zealand First not only will be supporting this bill but will commit at the next election to exactly what this bill does if it does not pass tonight. That is because—for the education of the member who has just resumed his seat—there was absolutely no need for charter schools inside the New Zealand system. If there is madness going on today in America this is madness that came out of America. Failing charter schools in America have shown the way that this is not necessary in the New Zealand system. David Bennett: Madness.TRACEY MARTIN: The lovely David Bennett a seat-warmer from way back has decided to join an education debate that again he knows nothing about. New Zealand First which actually speaks to the current education system which knows that charter schools have had no higher outcomes than any other State school across the nation when you take them on—David Seymour: Rubbish.TRACEY MARTIN: Mr Seymour given half a chance will rise and say: Charter schools—Vanguard Military School has had 100 percent NCEA level 2."—yes he will. I will ask him to go and have a look at the number of State schools—Mahurangi College for example which in the last academic year had a 100 percent pass rate for Pasifika students. Will Mr Seymour stand up and acknowledge any of the State schools? No he will not because Mr Seymour and the ACT Party hang their hat on single privatisation of the education system which is charter schools. The reason why charter schools must be disestablished is—I refer to a conversation with Alwyn Poole before charter schools even entered the market place. Mr Seymour and other members of the ACT Party went to meet with Mr Poole and said: "We guarantee you"—we guarantee you—"between $12000 and $15000 a student so that what you're making in a private school we can guarantee you that from the taxpayers' pocket." This is a waste of money. This is a waste of education dollars. We do not have enough precious education dollars in the current system. I notice that Marama Fox is in the House. I note that Ms Fox in the last few days has asked for every Māori MP to stand up for Māori students 95 percent of whom are in mainstream English-medium schools. Yet she supports the same Government that strips out the funding for Te Kotahitanga. She supports the same Government that strips out the other supports for those Māori students inside mainstream schools—to do what? Te Pūmanawa o te Wairua was closed. The Whangarei kura could have been a special character school. Alwyn Poole should be a private school. Vanguard Military School should be an alternative school. I do not—[Interruption] Do not come near me Mr Seymour. Do not come near me Mr Seymour unless you are crossing the floor for a vote—then come on over. Come on over and see the error of your ways Mr Seymour. Vote on the side that knows education. Vote on the side that stands up for education in the public system of New Zealand. Here is a young man who spent 6 months in a thinktank and unfortunately it has gone to his head. This Government has allowed that party ACT to dictate and waste New Zealand taxpayers' dollars on this system. I compliment Mr Hipkins. He is a wise man. He is a lucky man to get this bill out of the ballot. It is a shame he cannot be here although he has bigger things to do with his life—I understand it. But I stand with Mr Hipkins. I stand with the Opposition parties. David Bennett: Go stand with them then. Go join the Labour Party.TRACEY MARTIN: I stand with those who care about public education Mr Bennett. I stand with those who believe in public education who believe the Government should not say to parents: "You just vote with your feet have at it. And if it fails too bad for your children." We believe in standards. We believe in The New Zealand Curriculum. We believe in the teaching profession not like that party. Not like that party which says: "Anybody can teach. Just have at it and let our children be the losers." New Zealand First will support this bill because the bill should be supported and charter schools should close."