2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Prime Minister): Yes in particular this Government's ongoing support to workers and to Labour Day. Over the last year we have increased the minimum wage parental leave entitlements and Working for Families tax credits. We've introduced legislation to end migrant exploitation and we've taken steps to improve conditions for our Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme workers our screen industry and our bus drivers. This week will also see the passing of legislation for fair pay agreements to ensure our lowest-paid workers get a fairer deal. We've also taken action to ease the cost of living pressures on New Zealand particularly those on lower incomes through our temporary and targeted cost of living payment fuel tax cuts and half-price public transport. These—Hon Paul Goldsmith: Where is the Prime Minister?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Point of order Mr Speaker. It's a long-held convention in this House that we don't make reference to the absence of members.SPEAKER: I'm guessing you're talking about a member opposite you.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Speaking to the point of order. SPEAKER: Were you the member in question?Hon Paul Goldsmith: I was and I was just asking a question—where the Prime Minister was. SPEAKER: Yeah no no no. I'm going to deal with this first OK? So either the member did or didn't refer to a member that is absent. Did he or did he not? Hon Paul Goldsmith: In the manner of a question I did. SPEAKER: No no. It's either a yes or no answer. You either did or you didn't. Did you? Hon Paul Goldsmith: I must have yes.SPEAKER: Well then the member will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Paul Goldsmith: I withdraw and apologise.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: We've also taken action to ease the cost of living pressures on Kiwis particularly those on lower incomes through our temporary and targeted cost of living payment fuel tax cuts and half-price public transport fares. These policies have also helped ease the inflationary impacts of the war in Ukraine and supply-chain disruptions and supported New Zealanders. This Government backs workers and this Government backs Labour Day.Christopher Luxon: Why are 100000 kids chronically absent from school and only 46 percent of Kiwi students attending class regularly? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As has been traversed a number of times in this House the trend around absences from school began in about 2016. On this side of the House we've released recently a strong plan to be able to address that but also to address some of the underlying issues that sit behind reasons why some children aren't growing up in households where that's prioritised. Those things include things like lifting benefits lifting the family tax credit—all of the things that the National Party have opposed.Christopher Luxon: Why after five years of this Government can only 64 percent of secondary students pass a basic NCEA reading test?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On this side of the House we're very proud of the investments that we've made in education. We are seeing now the impact of having invested in teachers. But Mr Luxon can wave his hand all he likes; he has to own up for the fact that his party when they were last in Government consistently underfunded health underfunded education—didn't employ teachers didn't employ nurses. On this side of the House we're addressing that. It will take time but it won't be solved by tax cuts for the rich.Christopher Luxon: Why after five years of this Government can only 56 percent of secondary students pass a basic NCEA numeracy test?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The problem the member on the other side of the House has is that he would currently fail a numeracy test when it comes to his budget because he wants to cut taxes he wants to lift spending and he wants to reduce debt. That's the member who should be worried about a numeracy test.David Seymour: Point of order. That was a question by the leader of the National Party about numeracy rates among New Zealand students. The Acting Prime Minister did not address that question at all; he simply abused the member asking the question. That's not good enough.SPEAKER: You're under the regime of robust question time. The way forward—Matt Doocey: Aw come on!SPEAKER: Yeah you can complain if you like but the way forward is to actually allow the member to answer. Now this has been an ongoing issue where the volume of interjections and the number of interjections are such that if you have a look at Speakers' Rulings—yeah well you can smirk and laugh if you like—Matt Doocey: No I'm smirking at him.SPEAKER: Yeah that's fine—means that answers are going to take longer and as I indicated last week when I said that if the House indicates to me that it's actually not interested in the answer then the Minister can address any part of it that he likes or she likes.Chris Bishop: Point of order. I think my colleague Mr Seymour raises a good point. There could be no more straight a question than that asked by the Leader of the Opposition. It was a completely factual straight question. Now the ordinary rule has been if you ask a political question you can get a political answer. Everyone in this House would agree that that was a highly political answer from the Acting Prime Minister but it was a highly political answer in response to a completely straight factual question. That's what raised the disorder from this side of the House because as Mr Seymour says it was essentially just a political show in response to a very serious straight question. So I'd put it to you that the question was not even remotely addressed.SPEAKER: I stand by my ruling. However I will allow the Leader of the Opposition to re-ask that question. Now if the House is interested in the answer I suggest that we listen to the answer.David Seymour: Point of order. I in no way wish to reflect on your ruling but can I just make an observation that while—SPEAKER: No.Christopher Luxon: Why after five years of this Government can only 56 percent of secondary students pass a basic NCEA numeracy test?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: There are a range of different measures on the numeracy and literacy rates of our students. We will always seek to see more improvement on that. One possible explanation for the member's question is that those students started school under the previous Government and we haven't been able to recover them yet.Christopher Luxon: Why after five years of this Government can only 34 percent of secondary students pass a basic NCEA writing test?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Again there are a number of different measures of the success of both literacy and numeracy within our schools. We are continuing to invest in helping students who were failed by the previous National Government—for example when they introduced national standards or allowed the national Curriculum to not be implemented properly and we'll continue to support those students.Christopher Luxon: How does he expect Kiwi kids to succeed when under this Government two-thirds are not even being provided with the absolute basic reading writing and maths skills that they will need?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The reason why I think that New Zealand children will succeed under this Government is that we've been prepared to invest in more teachers in their classroom in paying their teachers properly in making sure that there is food in schools so they can actually learn and not just be hungry. The secret of success for children in our country is actually investing in and supporting them not giving tax cuts to the highest earning New Zealanders which is that member's plan.David Seymour: How can the Acting Prime Minister claim the credit for those investments when he blames all of children's failures at school on the previous Government?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I was doing was listing the investments that the Government's made. The member has spent a lot of time criticising us for those investments. I stand by our record in having lifted 66000 children out of poverty and investing properly in our education system and actually giving children a decent start in life. Christopher Luxon: Is this Government failing low-income families when just 2 percent of decile 1 students are able to pass a basic NCEA writing test meaning a shameful 98 percent failed?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No.Christopher Luxon: Does he accept that after spending $5 billion more per year on education and hiring 1400 more staff at the ministry attendance and academic achievement outcomes should be getting better or worse?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I will accept is that it is a long journey back for New Zealand from a period of time where investment just was not made in our schools or in our teachers. We stand by the professionals in our classrooms who are doing their level best and we're addressing the underlying causes that make it more difficult for children to achieve in our classrooms.