Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDelahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 09 April 2014. Volume:697;Page:17044. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green)to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all her decisions?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education):Yes in all the circumstances they were made.Catherine Delahunty: Does she think that she has a better idea about what is best for the children of Phillipstown School than their principal Tony Simpson has?Hon HEKIA PARATA: It is not a question of what just two people think; it is a question of the weight of evidence a full round of consultation and what the submissions of both schools confirmed.Catherine Delahunty: Is she not sticking with plans to merge the school to save face rather than doing the right thing by the school and their pupils?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The proposal is driven by substantial educational evidence. It is driven by significant proposed investment of $11.8 million into the merged space. It is driven by the oversupply of primary school spaces in that particular network. It is driven overall about how we get better outcomes for all of those children.Catherine Delahunty: Does she agree with experts such as Canterbury University’s Bronwyn Hayward that children should never be exposed to the prospect of major changes like school reorganisations so close to a major disaster; if so why did she rush into this?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Christchurch has faced a significant challenge. It has been 3 years—a process of discussion and consultation. The mergers that were decided on the closures that have been decided on the brand new schools and the redevelopments are all part of the 10-year programme for which we have invested $1.36 billion and which is built on providing a better modern learning education system for all of the children.Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. After consultation with my colleagues we have agreed that the Labour Party will sacrifice one supplementary question if—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat.Rt Hon John Key: Can the Minister confirm that the merger of Phillipstown School and Woolston School was part of a wider reorganisation of schools in the Christchurch area as a result of the Christchurch earthquake can she confirm how much extra the Government is putting into those overall mergers and can she give the House some feedback on what the general perception has been now that those mergers are actually taking place?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Yes I can confirm that. In fact I took three options to Cabinet for proposals to deal with the challenges in Christchurch: a $500 million option which was simply to repair and walk away; an $800 million package which was to repair and refresh some; and a $1.1 billion package which was to create a modern learning environment there that will be the envy of every part of New Zealand as well as Australia. Since then there has been feedback from the mergers that have gone ahead. The principal of Hornby High School has told me and the media that it has been a “game changer”. Hillmorton High School has seen stronger involvement from its parents. The Windsor-Burwood merger has moved to a completely different provision—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Bring the answer to a conclusion.Hon HEKIA PARATA: Overall the reports have been extremely positive.Catherine Delahunty: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My point of order is—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order and I wish to hear it.Catherine Delahunty: This was not a public relations opportunity; this was about—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Every member has a right to ask a supplementary question. It was a supplementary question asked.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: It is your members’ day we are wasting but Chris Hipkins—a point of order.Chris Hipkins: In his question the Prime Minister asked the Minister of Education how much extra the Government was investing. The Minister indicated what the total was; she did not indicate how much of that was extra money.Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order. If the member wants a supplementary question he may be able to have one.