Delahunty Catherine: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDelahunty Catherine: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 06 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3228. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green)to the Minister of Education: Has she been consulted on education being included in the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA); if so have any concerns been expressed that this agreement could lead to foreign corporations suing New Zealand in relation to education provision?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education):Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. Otirā ki a koe e te mema. Yes I have been consulted as part of the Cabinet decision to enter into negotiations on the Trade in Services Agreement and to establish parameters for which officials should engage in that process. The approach we are taking to these negotiations is consistent with New Zealand’s existing international trade commitments on private education and reflects the priority we have always placed on advancing the export interests of New Zealand private education providers. In regard to the alleged dispute settlement provision referred to by the member I am advised that no such provisions are under discussion.Catherine Delahunty: Has she been advised that if education is included in the Trade in Services Agreement large foreign profit-making educational franchises could sue if New Zealand tried to stop them setting up schools here? Has she been specifically advised on that point?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I do not have primary responsibility for negotiating trade agreements. This particular agreement has been in negotiation for 2 years. There have been 11 rounds of negotiation. The 12th is due in July. But as to the specifics I have complete confidence in our Minister of Trade to seek any additional information should he require it. So no.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The questioner asked whether the Minister was specifically consulted. She answered every other question but that.Mr SPEAKER: No. Again if the member would just wait for the answer to be completed—her final word was no. The question has been addressed.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If that is the case and she did get to it at the end my point is: why was she allowed to go so long without answering the question?Mr SPEAKER: Because I felt that the information she was giving was actually helpful to the House if members have a genuine interest in this matter.Catherine Delahunty: Can she rule out any large foreign education franchises demanding entry to New Zealand under the Trade in Services Agreement and running schools that do not follow our curriculum exclude kids on the basis of ability and charge huge fees?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Once again I do not have responsibility for this trade negotiation but what I can tell the member is that we provide for private education in this country and it makes up 3.7 percent of our schooling options. As to international students schools able to attract those students really value them. In terms of exporting our educational expertise to other countries we are able to do that because they value that expertise. So we will continue to seek those opportunities both here and abroad.Catherine Delahunty: Why is she and the National Government so intent on signing New Zealand up to trade agreements like the Trade in Services Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement which will open future Governments wanting to protect the public interest to being sued?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Because unlike that member we understand that income allows us to purchase the things that we want whether they are called education roads or hospitals. All the things that that member and her party bang on about do not happen by magic; they happen by earning income.Catherine Delahunty: I seek leave to table the Trade in Services Agreement’s leaked annex of professional services—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am having trouble hearing. Can the member start her point of order again.Catherine Delahunty: I seek leave to table the Trade in Services Agreement’s leaked annex of professional services document released today just this morning.Mr SPEAKER: The date of the document?Catherine Delahunty: It has been released today and the original date was September 2014.Mr SPEAKER: If it is being released today it is going to be available to all members. There is no point in my tabling it.Catherine Delahunty: I do not think it is available.Mr SPEAKER: Order!