Macindoe TimHon TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West): Kia orana Madam Assistant Speaker. The Hon Clare Curran seems to be obsessed with the idea that the Opposition is miffed. Well I acknowledge that member has more reason than most in this House to feel miffed but I can assure her that we're not miffed about what is happening; we are nevertheless exasperated on behalf of the public of New Zealand and particularly parents of children of school age that—[Interruption] There's an incessant banter going on—well banter no; that's possibly a bit flattering—going on from the other side of the House. I haven't actually heard a word of it but I'd be grateful perhaps if the member may have the courtesy just to stop for a moment. Madam Assistant Speaker I believe that that member has not stopped speaking the whole time I've been on my feet. Is that acceptable?Marja Lubeck: I've got so much to say.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Order! Order! I know it's Thursday afternoon but yeah please. Thank you. Carry on.Hon TIM MACINDOE: I have completely lost the thread of the sentence that I was on because of that incessant interruption.The point I wanted to make was the exasperation we feel on this side of the House is because no New Zealanders voted for these measures at the last election. One of the really frustrating aspects of being in Opposition is to hear a coalition of three disparate parties who didn't have a coherent sense of policy framework or even the idea that they would form a Government come out of an election which they didn't present these ideas to the public with and now say they have a mandate to deliver them. Well what we have therefore is a bill that as I say the public of New Zealand haven't voted for and which frankly demonstrates hypocrisy because you have got a Government that is trying to deliver measures that they say are in the best interests of the public and particularly of children and yet really what it's all about is greater ministerial control and taking away the choice that should be in the hands of individual schools and their boards of trustees and in particular parents.Now I want to make a comment on cohort entry. I might be slightly out of step here because I do acknowledge the point that some people have made that for many children starting school at or just below this age of five is not the right thing. But surely it's about recognising to the needs of families in particular. I started school when I was four I was a couple of weeks away from my fifth birthday and it was the right thing for—Michael Wood: Look how it turned outHon TIM MACINDOE: Thank you. It was the right thing for my parents. I understand why they wanted to get rid of me at the earliest opportunity. My wife and I made the decision for our own children that they wouldn't start school until they were nearly six because we believed that that was best for them and in fact they've turned out remarkably well and both have gone on to achieve extraordinary well. So my point is let's not take away from parents the right to choose and in particular let's acknowledge the fact that for many parents it's an economic necessity apart from anything else. There are so many families now where the parents need to be able to go to work that if the child is just a little bit short of his or her fifth birthday and it works for them let that happen.I don't want to take a long call. The reasons that the National Party oppose this bill have been well articulated by my colleagues on this side of the House. We can't stop it because the numbers are against us but let's just remind ourselves that nobody voted for this bill at the last election.