Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:637;Page:7878] 
7.  
KATHERINE RICH (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: Does he stand by his pre-election statement that “86000 children will definitely get 20 free hours under Labour”; if so based on his officials’ latest estimates how many 3 and 4-year-olds will receive 20 free hours on 1 July 2007? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Yes I stand by my statement made prior to the election that “86000 children will be worse off” under National’s plan to axe the 20 hours’ free early childhood education policy. The House will recall of course that National itself went on to offer a complicated tax credit system that would have seen some parents eligible under its scheme saving up receipts contacting the Inland Revenue Department and waiting for their returns to be processed at the end of the year before receiving some support for having their children in early childhood education. The voters as we know rejected that policy soundly. 
Katherine Rich 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I seek your guidance as to whether that answer addressed the question. The Minister went off on a wild tangent about National and tax credits whereas my question asked based on his officials’ latest estimates how many 3 and 4-year-olds will actually get 20 free hours’ early childhood education. It was quite specific and I think the Minister made no attempt to address that question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I think if you look at the question you will see that it did actually raise pre-election statements and as such the Minister I think did address the question. 
Katherine Rich 
: When having access to 20 free hours’ early childhood education and actually getting it are concepts that are worlds apart will he answer the question I asked in the primary question which was based on his officials’ latest estimates how many 3 and 4-year-old children will actually receive 20 free hours’ early childhood education as at 1 July 2007? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: As the member has been told frequently and as recently as question No. 3 today up to 92000 3 to 4-year-olds in teacher-led centres— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Up to. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: —I have always said the words “up to” as the member well knows—will receive access to this policy. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Please be seated. Members want the Minister to address the question. Please let the rest of us hear the answer to the question. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: As I said up to 92000 3 to 4-year-olds in teacher-led centres will gain access to this policy on 1 July. As the member has already been told numerous times the policy is currently being discussed with centres around the country. She would know if she knew the policy—which she obviously does not—that come April parents will receive forms that will allow them to go to their local centre and attest that their child re-enrolled there. We will get a better estimate of actual uptake at that time but 92000 of them will be eligible. 
Dianne Yates 
: Has the Minister any concerns about the implementation of the 20 hours’ free early childhood education policy? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I am deeply concerned that a policy that is popular amongst parents and amongst the entire early childhood sector is often put at risk by the misleading statements made by National Party members and by the confusion they are raising around the rules. They have misrepresented the early childhood education sector consistently and they have undermined the programme. The only reason I can see that we would be concerned about this policy is that National Party members are committed to scrapping it and they are campaigning so they can do so at the present time. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Why does the Minister not just front up and admit that he was thrown a hospital pass by his predecessor Trevor Mallard that the quoted figure was calculated on the number of 3 and 4-year-olds enrolled in early childhood education centres at the time and that given the complications that have arisen over funding issues that figure may have been an overestimation? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Mr Mallard is well known for his rugby skills. He is part of the parliamentary world-beating rugby team and I think we could say this was a very good pass by a well-honed first-five really. The 92000 figure—if the member is interested—of course is the number of enrolled 3 to 4-year-olds in centres. That is why the phrase “up to” and the word “eligible” are used: because that is the number of children who are there. It is a voluntary policy. We have offered the policy and now we are seeing what the uptake will be. But as the Prime Minister said earlier we remain very optimistic; so far the uptake looks as though it is very strong. 
Katherine Rich 
: When the situation of only one child receiving a 20-free-hour space could meet the Minister’s scenario of up to 92000 children potentially having access to his policy why is he not worried 4 months out from the policy going live that he has no idea how many kids will actually receive 20 free hours’ early childhood education and no idea how many centres will actually take up his policy—yet he is banking on a flashy television campaign to encourage parents to put pressure on local centres? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: There were a lot of questions there but let me just say that the scenario the member was painting is silly of course. She was trying to use hyperbole I suppose. [ 
Interruption 
] I say thank you for the support—National members do change their minds a lot so it is good to see they are supporting this policy now. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Would the Minister please address the question. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I say in answer to the last question that I do not know why the National Party does not want this policy to be promoted to parents. I know it is because those members dislike the policy but we intend to make sure that every single parent who is eligible knows about it. 
Katherine Rich 
: Is the Minister’s 20 free hours policy basically just another subsidy; if not why is it different from a subsidy? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I think that all parents in the country who are working and who want to ensure that their children are in quality educational settings for 3 and 4-year-olds are looking at this policy now as something that will make a positive contribution not only to the education of their children but to their household finances—and parents are deeply alarmed at the way that Katherine Rich and Paula Bennett continue to undermine this outstanding policy. I thank them for their general defence of it but they should simply get on board and let parents have 20 free hours of early childhood education. 
Katherine Rich 
: What is the budget for the Minister’s flashy advertising campaign including production and media costs to promote 20 free hours’ free early childhood education—because the $260000 he says it is costing will go nowhere towards paying for the production of television advertisements and for high-profile slots on prime time television? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I actually do not have precise figures but the member has mentioned pretty much what the figure will be. It will be a straightforward campaign that will simply ensure that all parents are able to access a policy they favour. I tell the National members to go on undermining the policy and attacking it because we are really looking forward to a fourth term. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: Tena koe Madam Speaker. I seek leave to table an article from the  
Press 
 of 29 January 2007: “Child care subsidy a good exercise in government spin”. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I seek leave to table a statement from the Hon Bill English made on 27 May 2004 announcing that the 20-hour entitlement will be welcomed by all families. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.