Carter Chris: General Debate 
Carter Chris: General Debate 
[Volume:647;Page:15941] 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Yesterday 13 May was a significant date for National Party members of Parliament. The National Party was formed 72 years ago in 1936. One would think that a party that was 72 years old would know what it was doing and would have a consistent policy. I am privileged to be the education Minister in a Labour-led Government—a Government that has endowed education over the last 8 years as it has never been supported before. We in Labour believe that education is the pathway to maximising the potential of individuals and to building a strong economy and a strong society. We have had an enormous number of initiatives in education during the time of the Labour-led Government. I come back to my opening comment that one would think that the National Party—72 years old yesterday and approaching an election in about 6½ or 7 months’ time—would have a consistent policy. It is a party that is 72 years old. 
Let me share with the House some of the conflicting and confusing positions of the National Party. Let us take the 20 free hours policy which the Labour Government introduced for all 3 and 4-year-olds in New Zealand. It was a revolution in early childhood education. We believe that setting a child as early as possible on an education path that has quality safe early childhood education boosts that child’s chances of a successful education for life. What was the National Party’s position on the 20 free hours policy? It was a very confused position. 
We had Mr Key—”Mr Flip-flop”—addressing a gathering of people in west Auckland which is in the area he represents but of course does not live in. We all know in this House that Mr Key lives in a multimillion-dollar house in Parnell but represents people on the far western fringes of Auckland. In one of the rare visits he made to his electorate he visited a group of parents concerned about early childhood education in Massey and he said that he was for the 20 free hours policy. However later within weeks of that statement he said “Once again the Government’s own documents show the ‘20 hours free’ promise is nothing more than a cruel hoax played out on unsuspecting New Zealand parents.” Mr English his sidekick—although I think not his friend—said that in National they oppose the 20 free hours. I have to say that Katherine Rich who was at that time National’s education spokesperson had a different view altogether and came out in support of the policy. Paula Bennett who sometimes speaks on this issue has of course flip-flopped from one position to another. 
Bulk funding is another very interesting and controversial education issue. Mr Peachey who is a relatively new National MP representing the Tamaki electorate and former principal from the North Shore of Auckland is a great advocate of bulk funding. He said in this House that the abolition of bulk funding was a tragedy. He went on further to attest and witness that he was personally very solidly committed to it. The official National Party spokesperson on education at that time Ms Rich said that bulk funding was not on National’s agenda. Mr English on the other hand said “No ifs no buts and no fighting in school communities over whether to have it. Everyone is going to bulk funding.” Early childhood education is a policy and a programme that was rejected by National then supported by National then rejected then supported again. Just like bulk funding there were two different positions. 
What was the position of members of the women’s caucus of the National Party? 
Jill Pettis 
: They haven’t got one. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I think they have a small one—much smaller than Labour’s of course. National list MP Paula Bennett one of my constituents I think in west Auckland called the 20 free hours policy a cruel hoax and said it was in ruins. Funnily enough 79 percent of eligible children have now signed up for early childhood— 
Paula Bennett 
: Oh that’s not true. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I am sorry but I suggest that Paula looks at the stats. Seventy-nine percent of eligible children are now signed up—almost 80 percent of the early childhood education sector is signed up. This is a great success for Labour.