2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's policies and statements? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes particularly our policy to scrap NCEA fees which means students across the country are currently sitting exams without fees for the first time. More than 145000 households are estimated to benefit from the removal of the $76.70 NCEA fee that families pay every year for around 168000 secondary students—more good news for families and efforts to reduce the cost of living by this Government. Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept that fees-free has not increased student participation and in fact there are fewer learners in tertiary education since the policy has been implemented? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Looking at what we had in terms of enrolment across tertiary education under the last Government we saw a decline from 458000 to 404000 enrolled in tertiary education. We had a decline right at the time when we had a skills shortage. We are trying to stem that tide. It's also worth profiling the fact that we had the burden of debt and a barrier to entry into post-secondary education. So fees-free has meant that more than 30000 fewer students borrowed to pay tertiary fees last year compared with 2017 saving them $194 million. Those are the benefits of fees-free. Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept her Cabinet forecast 80000 enrolments in the first year of fees-free and there have in fact been only 50000? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Our goal has been to remove the barriers to tertiary education and trade training making sure that we stop this massive skills gap that we have in New Zealand. What I find somewhat confusing is that the National Party discussion document today seems to propose retaining fees-free whilst at the same time spending all of the money that it requires to make it a reality. So I'm not too sure what the member's policy is on fees-free any more. Hon Simon Bridges: Was there $50 million in wasted expenditure last year on students who got fees-free and didn't even complete the year? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No. I don't consider any investment in education a waste of money. We have a skills gap in New Zealand. We need to be training and educating our young people. I note that what the member is proposing if it is indeed to scrap fees-free means that people who are accessing apprenticeships for two years for free will no longer be able to do that. Hon Simon Bridges: Is fees-free an expensive failure that should be scrapped for more effective education investments? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I'd be interested if that's the member's position because his discussion document suggests retaining it for the final year of study. Hon Simon Bridges: Will the Government extend fees-free to the second year of tertiary education like she's previously promised? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Our commitment for this term of Government was for the first year and that's what we've done. Hon Simon Bridges: Will she look to implement the full fees-free package more rapidly given she promised that she would if conditions permit? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: What we said we'd do is make the first year free. That's what we've done. I'd be very interested to know if the member himself is going to bring in fees-free because I note Judith Collins has already spent the money with some of her proposals and Nikki Kaye already spent the money for some of her proposals. Fees-free has been spent about three or four times over by the Opposition and now they seem to be proposing to keep it. Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You may have had a chance to observe as we did that after the Leader of the Opposition asked that question he then interjected four times as loud as he possibly could. If he's going to ask any other questions he should be asked please to have some respect for the procedures of this House. SPEAKER: I was actually contemplating intervening because of the repeated shouted interjections from the Leader of the Opposition. The Deputy Prime Minister might have seen that I actually rolled my seat back in preparation for so doing. At about that point I think it's fair to say that for whatever reason the Leader of the Opposition stopped and I decided to let it run on. So the Deputy Prime Minister is of course correct that people shouldn't try and shout down someone answering a question immediately after the question is asked but in this case I think it's fair to say that on balance I was correct not to intervene. Hon Chris Hipkins: Does the Prime Minister believe that increasing the cost of tertiary education and training will help or hinder the skills shortages the country already faces? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I would expect that kind of proposal to come from the very party that presided over a decline in those continuing their education and training. We are facing a massive skills shortage. We have a huge infrastructure deficit. We need skilled people in construction and the trades. Fees-free provides that with two years of free training for apprentices. I'm dismayed that the Opposition would propose getting rid of that. Hon Simon Bridges: Has she recently made a statement that she will not go on radio shows unless there is something like another March 15th"? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I have absolutely no idea what the member's talking about. Hon Simon Bridges: Does she have a policy that she gave to her press secretary that she will not go on Chris Lynch's show unless there is "something like another March 15th"? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I do not know what the member is talking about. Hon Simon Bridges: Why did her press secretary tell Chris Lynch's producer that the Prime Minister wouldn't go on his programme unless there is "something like another March 15th"? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I've already answered that question twice. [Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Order! If Paul Goldsmith wants Nikki Kaye to have a question he will zip his mouth. Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was in response to huge prevarication from the Hon Grant Robertson who was yelling at him repeatedly. SPEAKER: Well I wish that Grant Robertson had prevaricated."