Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 21 February 2007. Volume:637;Page:7541. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
6.  
KATHERINE RICH (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: How many 3 and 4-year-olds will receive 20 free hours of early childhood education from July this year? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 From 1 July this year Labour’s 20 hours’ free policy will be available to up to 92000 3 and 4-year-olds in teacher-led centres. 
Katherine Rich 
: Can the Minister explain to parents how this Government’s position has slithered from the Cabinet objective of “no fees for 3 and 4-year-olds up to 20 hours a week” to access for only some 3 and 4-year-olds: if their parents can enrol them in a centre if the centre offers the service and if the service is available in their area at all—a long way from the campaign slogan used at the election? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The statement at the last election was that from 1 July 2007 Labour’s 20 hours’ free policy would be available to up to 92000 3 to 4-year-olds in teacher-led centres and nothing has changed since then. 
Dr Ashraf Choudhary 
: Has the Minister seen any reports as to how many 3 and 4-year-olds will receive 20 free hours of early childhood education under a National Government? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The answer is none. The National Party’s policy as set out on its website is to scrap 20 hours’ free early childhood education. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Minister sees reports; he cannot comment on the actual policy. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: The reports say that. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Yes the reports say that. The report from the National Party website says that it would scrap the 20 hours’ free policy. So no children at all would get access to the policy despite the fact that the early childhood sector through agencies such as the Waikato Free Kindergarten Association have described it as a wonderful initiative by the Government. It was therefore surprising to hear last week Opposition spokesperson Paula Bennett complain that thousands of children will miss out. They will miss out only if there is a National Government. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Can the Minister confirm that the figure of 92000 was derived from the numbers of 3 and 4-year-olds who currently attend some early childhood education service but that only 82.8 percent of decile 1 children who enter school have had any early childhood education experience and that only 94 percent of children overall have done so—leading to the conclusion that even if some for-profit centres reject the 20 free hours policy participation increases in the non-participant sector could more than compensate for that negative? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The member is right. The 92000 figure comes from the current enrolment of 3 and 4-year-olds who will be there on the date of 1 July. What we are looking forward to—as a part of an overall strategy of course—is that as the strategy rolls out towards its completion in 2012 we will get 100 percent of enrolment in those centres. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I remind members that chipping at each other with comments across the Chamber does not lead to good order in the House. 
Katherine Rich 
: When the Minister has confirmed that this service will not be available to all 3 and 4-year-olds—as the Prime Minister has actually said herself—how come ministry officials came before our select committee this morning and said they have no idea of how many centres will take up the scheme no idea of how many children will be able to enjoy 20 free hours and no idea of what parents can expect from the scheme; is he not worried about that given that the policy is to roll out in only 5 months’ time? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Government has consistently said that up to 92000 young people will be eligible for this policy on 1 July. As to the second series of questions I say the ministry said no such thing. This member is now establishing for herself a good record of being totally misleading and inaccurate. What parents can expect on 1 July is to begin to access 20 hours’ free early childhood education as the policy promises. 
Katherine Rich 
: When Helen Clark said herself: “We will see 3 and 4-year-old children in our licensed teacher-led early childhood centres being funded for 20 hours’ free education a week.” does the Minister agree that most parents took that to mean all 3 and 4-year-olds not just a lucky few; will the Minister finally confirm to parents who had an expectation as a result of the last election that they would have access to it that it is nothing more than a campaign slogan? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Prime Minister was absolutely right; 3 and 4-year-olds will be able to access 20 hours’ free education from 1 July. That is exactly what will happen. This is not a slogan like the National Party’s slogans; this is substantial policy. The member I know does not know education policy herself and neither does her associate but I am sure parents do and will appreciate the policy. 
Paula Bennett 
: Is 20 free hours simple as the Minister told parents on 24 January or not easy as he told parents on 18 February and will he finally have reached impossible by 1 July? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I say in answer to that multi-choice question which must have stretched the member I am sure that on 1 July 3 to 4-year-olds in teacher-led centres—92000 of them potentially—will begin to have access to this policy. That is what will happen. 
Paula Bennett 
: When will the Minister admit that the slogan “20 free hours” might have sounded good around a Labour Party election table but is actually a cruel hoax to parents as it is obvious that the Government cannot deliver on its promise with regard to all 3 and 4-year-olds come 1 July? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I am going to go on talking to parents and the early childhood sector about this hugely popular policy which will be rolled out from 1 July this year. I will also talk to them about the fact that the National Party would scrap that hugely popular policy.