Mallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:654;Page:4225] 
8.  
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What were the major cuts to Vote Education and what was the reason each was made? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 I will say again that overall Vote Education rises from $10.5 billion to $10.8 billion this year. In anyone’s language that is an addition not a cut. We have reprioritised some funding. One example is that we are not proceeding with the teacher-child ratio changes in early childhood education at a saving of $275 million because that money would have done nothing to increase participation in early childhood education. Instead teachers would have been soaked up by existing services making it harder to staff new services in areas of great need. We have been unable to proceed with very large commitments made by the previous Government to the tertiary sector because there was no funding for them. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Hon Trevor Mallard has the floor. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Does the Minister take ministerial responsibility for the list of Budget 2009 education savings on her ministry’s website? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Yes. 
Allan Peachey 
: What new initiatives have been funded through Budget 2009? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: There are a large number of initiatives and I am very proud of them all. One in particular of which I am extremely proud is that the Government will be investing an additional $51 million in special education services to help more students access the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme. These children have high to very high needs and we will be helping more of these children than the previous Government did. In fact when this initiative is fully rolled out an extra 1100 children will be assisted with special education services. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: How will the approximately 1000 teachers to be dismissed in 2011 be selected: will they be selected from schools that are performing well or will they be selected from schools that are performing poorly; will it be done on a random basis with one teacher selected from every second school; or will it be done by way of the answer that Bill English has just whispered into the Minister’s ear? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: We have decided that we will review the complexity of the formula-driven funding entitlements and funding streams administered by the Ministry of Education. The savings of $50 million will represent just 1.5 percent of the school staffing cost. The Government like everyone in tight times has to look at all areas of expenditure to ensure that funds are being spent effectively to improve educational achievement. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Although the question was a longer one it was relatively simple. The question asked how the teachers who are to be dismissed will be selected. That was not addressed. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If the member reflects back on his question he will realise that he built an assertion into it. If I recollect correctly he asked how the 1000 teachers— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: We are agreed on the figure. We’re not arguing about that. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I believe that the honourable Minister gave a rather different response to that assertion and that is the dilemma. When the member puts an assertion like that into the question it is difficult to get the exact answer he is looking for because there is no evidence that that is exactly what will happen. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think that across the House we can agree that 1.5 percent is approximately 1000 teachers. I do not think the Minister will deny that. She certainly did not deny it by way of her answer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: We must not debate the answer by way of points of order. The member obviously has further supplementary questions. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Can I just go back to my original point of order. There was a plain question about how the teachers to be dismissed will be selected. That was not addressed. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think I accurately reflected the member’s question; let me see whether I can accurately reflect the answer. I think the Minister said that the formula by which these resources are allocated will be reviewed. I take it from that answer that there will be a change to how the resource is allocated but she cannot tell the member exactly what he wants to know at this stage. The member can pursue that in further supplementary questions. 
Allan Peachey 
: How has the Government supported parental choice in early childhood education and care? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I am very proud of the fact that we are bringing kohanga reo and playcentres into the 20 free hours early childhood education scheme. The previous Government had an ideological point of view that only teacher-led early childhood services could be quality services. Well this Government believes that parent-led services can also be high quality. We are happy to support parents of children in those institutions. I look forward to the Opposition visiting kohanga reo and playcentres and telling them why they do not deserve to be classed as quality services. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Is the Minister seriously telling the House that to use her figure 1.5 percent of teachers will be dismissed in election year and she does not yet know how they will be selected? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: What I said to the member in answer to my previous question was that we would be reviewing the complexity of formula-driven funding entitlements in the funding streams administered by the Ministry of Education. The savings of $50 million would represent only 1.5 percent of school staffing costs. We will be in discussion with the sector about how that may be achieved. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Standing Orders and especially Speakers’ rulings make it clear that if a short answer can be given it should be. The answer to my question was yes and that should have been the answer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The honourable member knows that he should not use points of order to debate the answer like that. He must stop doing that. It is totally contrary— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I’m saying I agree with her. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member should be not interjecting—[ 
Interruption 
] Both sides will not interject when I am ruling on a point of order. I urge the member not to abuse the point of order system. It is not in keeping with the Standing Orders.