Parata Hekia: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParata Hekia: General Debate[Sitting date: 03 December 2014. Volume:702;Page:1071. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education):I move That the House take note of miscellaneous business. As we come into the last few weeks before Christmas it is timely to reflect on all the work that has occurred over the past year as a basis for all the work that still remains to be done. We need to be doing this because we need to be investing in this small smart and sassy country of Aotearoa New Zealand. This Government of course does it under the leadership of the most popular Prime Minister in a generation and possibly more than that. He has the support of his caucus of his party and of New Zealanders. The Opposition members might ask themselves why he has that support. It is because we are focused on the things that matter. We are focused on building a strong economy. We are focused on moving forward and on ensuring that there are opportunities for New Zealanders to get the employment that they need to build the quality of life they want for their families. It has got to the point where we are now running “Come home Kiwi” fairs over in Perth and Sydney because we do not have enough people here in New Zealand to contribute to the growth of this economy. So it is time to reflect on what it is we have done and what it is we still have ahead of us.On this side we have a Government that is focused on the issues that matter; on that side we have an Opposition focused on itself. On this side we know that we have to invest in our people to bring about sustainable change. I have the honour of being the Minister of Education and contributing to the long-term growth of our economy and of our culture and society. The way we are doing that is that parents can go into this Christmas knowing that their children can start in education earlier stay longer and leave better qualified. We have a 14-year low in expulsions and stand-downs and we have the greatest level of achievement we have ever had. The Opposition spends a lot of time focusing on reports and on what is wrong and very little on doing anything about it. What this Government has done is that it has seen not only the average increase of all young people at school but it has seen an increase in Māori achievement of 19 percent over the 6 years we have been in Government. The Opposition went out satisfied that it was OK for 44 percent of all Māori secondary school students to get a minimum qualification. Pasifika students fared slightly better at 51 percent. We are ambitious for this country and that means every child and every young person. We are now at the stage where Māori are at 63 percent and Pasifika are at 72 percent.But are we satisfied with that? The answer is no we are not. We want every young person to be successful so that they can be contributors and they can be powerful actors in their own lives. We are doing this across the country. We get criticism about partnership schools. Well we are prepared to go as far as we need to in order to give every kid the best opportunity. We are seeing them leaving school better qualified. In Christchurch we have invested $1.137 billion to grow the most modern education system. We have seen successful mergers of schools. We have seen three high schools—Hillmorton Hornby and Linwood—gain years 7 to 13 through their mergers. Do we get the Opposition members going down there and seeing the success? No because all they want to do is cry over problems but we get on and do the work that is necessary. We have got more young people starting in early childhood education because we know that kids who start behind too often stay behind. We are not prepared to have that happen so we are now at 96 percent of all 4-year-olds participating in early childhood education.Hon Trevor Mallard: Because more kids are being born that’s why.Hon HEKIA PARATA: We hear from a former Minister of Education whose claim to fame is shutting 259 schools. Ours here on this side is opening and investing into schools. We have the biggest property portfolio in schools that we have ever had. We have some of the most modern learning environments. We opened Pegasus Bay School. It is the first new school that will be a net contributor of energy back into the grid. So not only are we getting good education outcomes but we are contributing to a modern 21st century environment that contributes net energy back to the system and we will continue to do that. We have invested $700 million in ensuring that every school—Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have been timing that speech. She is over time now but I move an extension of time—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. I keep the time on this debate. The member had 8 seconds if she wishes to complete her speech.Hon HEKIA PARATA: In those 8 seconds I just want to say that not only has this Government been able to demonstrate what it has achieved but it is strapped and ready for another 3 years of contributing to the growth and strength of this country. Thank you.