Patterson MarkMARK PATTERSON (NZ First): Thank you Mr Speaker. What a miserable speech—what a miserable speech. I actually had to check my notes too because it is the Education (School Donations) Amendment Bill which actually allows deciles 1 to 7 schools the opportunity to get a $150 per student guaranteed grant. I was under the false—clearly—impression that that was a good thing. But no apparently it is not a good thing; it is I guess the negative mindset that has enveloped the other side of the Chamber. But this—for those people listening and watching—is a very good step forward. This is enabling schools in our poorer and less well-off communities to have access to the sort of funding for discretionary activities that school fees provide and put them on a level playing field with those schools in wealthier communities. This is a totally laudable bill and the Minister Chris Hipkins is to be commended for bringing this forward because we know that education is the absolutely fundamental building block to creating a more equal society so that everyone can participate in society. We've heard through the submission process that in some of our lower decile schools only maybe 10 or 20 percent of the students are able to pay their fees. The children coming into schools from those communities are totally disadvantaged because they are unable to have access to those discretionary activities that kids in other schools have. And we're seeing that right through into postgraduate statistics where students coming out of schools with deciles 8 to 10 overwhelmingly make up those postgraduate positions. That shows where advantage through earlier life carries right through. So this is an effort to level that playing field. Of course it's been painted as a broken promise; it is not a broken promise. Denise Lee: Read the Labour Party manifesto. MARK PATTERSON: It was a—Denise Lee said: Read the Labour Party manifesto." Well I have not because I'm in the New Zealand First Party and this is a coalition Government and this is a coalition Government policy. This is not a Labour Party policy and we are totally on board in New Zealand First with this very fine piece of legislation which injects $265 million into our less advantaged communities over a four-year period. Of course that's been again from over the other side—because you know all their rich mates go to decile 8 and above schools—that those schools should have been included as well. Maybe that's down the track because we know that within those schools there are pupils that are from less well-off families as well—a lesser percentage but nevertheless they are there. But we are a fiscally responsible Government. That's why we have got a $7.5 billion surplus and we've brought our debt down to 19.2 percent of GDP. We're absolutely knocking it out of the park over here with our fiscal responsibility. So we may now have the runway fiscally to bring it into those other schools over time but I'm sure the good people of New Zealand appreciate our caution in this as we negotiate difficult international times. Of course there's a carve-out for the camps and of course that's what the select committee process is for. We identified that there were some submissions coming in that wanted some clarity around how school camps—which of course can be very expensive—would be treated within this legislation and there has been a carve-out for camps which is a very pragmatic move. It also removes the fees for NCEA $76.70—not an insubstantial sum for less well-off families. And what we saw is there's about 150000 students that have qualified that are unable to actually have their qualification recognised because of not having been able to pay their fee—that's over a period of time; that's built up. We know that education having those qualifications is getting that step on the ladder to a good constructive and worthy life so they don't fall through the cracks into a life that goes down the wrong path. So freeing those 150000 students up to get their qualification recognised is an absolutely fantastic outcome from this as well. So New Zealand First absolutely supports this legislation. It is a very egalitarian piece of legislation where we look to level the playing field for those in our disadvantaged communities so they do get off on the right foot and they do get a good start in education which we know is the absolute foundation stone to them having a better life and being better contributing citizens to our society. So this bill starts us off on that path starts them off on this path and New Zealand First is very pleased to support this bill into law."