Power Simon: General Debate 
Power Simon: General Debate 
[Volume:625;Page:20675] 
SIMON POWER (National—Rangitikei) 
: 
 I can well remember a comment made by John Tamihere once Paul Swain became the Minister of Labour. I remember Mr Tamihere saying very clearly in the media that we were not to worry because “Swainy and the boys” would fix everything: “Now that the girls have gone ‘Swainy and the boys’ will fix it.” Well the problem with that Minister’s contribution is that it is pretty clear the only thing that has been fixed is “Swainy”. The fact of the matter is that that member should spend less time looking for Opposition politicians and more time looking for Iraqi immigrants so that at every question time when he comes to the Chamber he is not embarrassed by members on the Opposition benches. He was said to fume at his departmental officials when he discovered on coming down here and thinking he had the ace under his sleeve that he had the completely wrong individual. That member should concentrate on watching his own back. 
Meanwhile the Prime Minister is trying to dazzle the nation by convincing it that she cannot leak: “By definition I can’t leak.” Well the same cannot be said of Dover Samuels and of other Ministers. But the fact remains that nine Labour Ministers have been badly punished and relieved of their responsibilities under this Prime Minister. They have been sacked—stripped of their responsibilities—because the allegations that swirled around them did not allow them to stay at their posts. So there was Dover Samuels Ruth Dyson Marian Hobbs—do members remember Phillida Bunkle vaguely or the curtains? There was also Harry Duynhoven poor old Lianne Dalziel Tariana Turia John Tamihere and now David Benson-Pope. 
The difference is that we must ask why all those other members and Ministers have been relieved of their responsibilities when allegations have swirled around them but the Prime Minister has not applied the same standard to her own behaviour in respect of Peter Doone. If those allegations were swirling around her as they have been imagine whether she would have been able to remain at her post based on her own test. Not a chance! We see double standards—one for the Prime Minister and one for the rest of her Cabinet if they trip up. 
I also say that the education sector is in a shambles. Heads have rolled. Steve Maharey was relieved of the responsibility for tertiary education. Trevor Mallard was relieved of the responsibility for schools—but was brought back under cover of night after David Benson-Pope was stood down from his responsibilities. The chairperson and chief executive of the Tertiary Education Commission resigned in its first year of operation and the new chairperson of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority has gone. The chief executive of the authority has gone. The Teachers Council has lost its chair once and its chief executive four times— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: What? 
SIMON POWER 
:—four times under this Government. The fact of the matter is that this Government has lost complete control of the education agenda and we have a Prime Minister who refuses to apply to herself the standards she applies to everybody else in the Labour Government. That to New Zealanders is absolutely unacceptable—completely unacceptable. 
Meanwhile issues concerning Te Wananga o Aotearoa the shoddy quality of tertiary courses New Zealand Scholarship and the National Certificate of Educational Achievement and 1200 more education bureaucrats are clogging up the chances of our young people getting a first-class international education. But what has the Prime Minister done? What has the Minister of Education done? They have instituted no fewer than 15 reviews into organisations associated with the education sector. So the standard is: “If in doubt review but if you are Prime Minister never ever apply the standards to yourself that you apply to other Ministers and members of Parliament.” 
The fact of the matter is that the education system in this country is sick and it is a reflection of the state of the Government. Come election day that Government and that party will pay the price for their arrogance for being remiss when it comes to the education system and for having a Prime Minister who applies one standard to herself and another standard to every other Minister in her Cabinet.