Peck Mark: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peck Mark: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6249] 
3.  
MARK PECK (NZ Labour—Invercargill) 
 to the  
Minister responsible for the Education Review Office 
: Should students be involved in school decision-making; if so why? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister responsible for the Education Review Office) 
: 
 Yes. A recent report by the Education Review Office indicates that effective student participation in school decision-making contributes to better student motivation and learning confidence and self-esteem; better school processes including more successful implementation of school initiatives; improvement in student behaviour and better relationships between students teachers parents whanau and the community. In short student involvement in decision making benefits all those involved. 
Mark Peck 
: How is the Government encouraging schools to promote student participation in decision making if it is so beneficial to schools and their communities? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Making student representation on secondary school boards of trustees mandatory was the first step—although I note it was opposed by members opposite. Secondly I will be commending the Education Review Office report on the topic as containing useful examples of best practice in student participation and how it can be promoted. Thirdly the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Youth Affairs will develop generic guidelines for schools communities and Government organisations on how to involve children and young people in their work. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: If the Government is so interested in the rights of students why has it adopted a draconian zoning policy that takes away from students the most fundamental decision—which school they go to? Surely that is a far more important way for students to have a say in their education than one in 500 students being on a board of trustees? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Quite simply this Government believes in the right of local people to go to local schools. The Opposition believes in the right of people being able to buy their way into schools by donations and old-boy arrangements. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You will have heard the comments made by Mr Mallard. We are one of the Opposition parties and we do not believe in the kind of corrupt practice beloved of the Labour Party. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I want to make it clear that my comments referred to the ACT party and the National Party. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: How can the Minister say to this House that his policy somehow has got away from students from wealthy families being able to buy into properties when every single real estate agent in Auckland knows that the Minister’s zoning policy has had a huge impact on house properties and that his policy as shown by the records and reports since it has been in place has involved a higher price for people—and I go back to the original question and ask the Minister why will he not let students decide for themselves which school they go to? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: There has never been a policy in New Zealand where students decide when there is a limit on places in schools. The policy in the past has been to let the schools decide on the basis of old-boy networks and that is just not on. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: How can the Minister maintain that answer given that since his Government has been in office the number of schools with zones that take away student choice has increased from 320 to nearly 600 and that even in communities like Gore—hardly communities that would be described as having huge growth difficulties—there are now school zones and can the Minister not accept that that huge increase takes away choice for students and parents? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I want to make it quite clear that this Government believes in providing teachers and education services and not in building massive extra size into schools when they are popular at a particular point in time. That is not efficient and on the basis of Gore there is not a helluva lot that is desirable as we see in this Parliament that comes from that area. In fact I understand the local member is under real threat. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That last comment was totally unnecessary and out of order. 
Ron Mark 
: Given the expressions of concern about students not being able to choose which school they go to or specifically being locked out of those schools how does the Minister think the parents of those students feel when they see floods of foreign students buying their way into those very same schools supposedly in the very manner that the Minister says he disagrees with? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: That is one of the issues the Government is looking at and I welcome representations from the member or his party. I have not received any yet.