Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 


Greens fail to do their homework on education

Sunday, 26 January 2014, 7:42 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Government

Greens fail to do their homework on education

Education Minister Hekia Parata says the Green Party appeared to be completely unaware of what happens every day in schools up and down the country when it wrote its latest policy ideas.

“We already have around 300 nurses working with virtually every school in the country and with a particular focus on low decile-schools.

“We already provide social workers for every decile 1 to 3 primary school in the country, under the Social Workers in Schools scheme.

“There are already a number of schools operating as community hubs, so it’s not a new idea, but it’s also not a concept that should be forced on every school.

“With Fonterra and Sanitarium we already provide a breakfast in schools programme five mornings a week to any school that wants it.

“We have increased our funding to KidsCan who provide services like raincoats and shoes for children and provide school lunch packs from donations.

“We already subsidise after-school care and holiday care for about 50,000 children, with assistance targeted at low-income families.

“We are already investing $1.5 billion in early childhood education, up from $860 million in 2007/08. Participation in early childhood education has risen to almost 96 per cent and we are focusing on improving participation amongst the most vulnerable groups.

“The Greens should do their homework. They are clearly unaware of all the things the Government is doing in this area, and they are also clearly in denial that the biggest influence on children’s achievement is quality teaching, says Ms Parata.

“Quality teaching raises achievement for kids from all schools, no matter what their decile ranking, which is why we announced our big new investment on Thursday to raise teaching practice and strengthen school leadership.

“If the Greens really cared about getting better results in education they would back that policy instead of opposing it, and they would do the work to understand what is already happening in terms of providing additional support for children in school.”

Ends

© Scoop Media

 
 
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS > >


Parliament: First Question Time of the Year

Two new MPs will give their maiden speeches in Parliament this afternoon.

After the first Question Time of the year, MPs are due to return to the debate on the Prime Minister’s statement with 11 hours and 23 minutes remaining.

When the set piece concludes in the coming days there will be a vote on the question, “That this House express its confidence in the National-led Government and commend its programme for 2014 as set out in the Prime Minister’s statement to Parliament”

There will also be a vote on the amendment in the name of David Cunliffe asking “To delete all the words after “That” and to substitute “this House express no confidence in this National-led Government because New Zealand has become more and more divided, because those in the middle are struggling, and because the poor are going backwards.”
Parties have also agreed the debate will be interrupted at 5.30pm for the maiden speeches of Poto Williams and Jo Hayes. More>>

 

Parliament Today:

Roll Call: Procedure To Publish Names Of MP's Absent Without Permission

All members of Parliament should attend parliamentary business. This expectation is now backed up by a new procedure to publish the names of members who are absent without permission. A deduction will be made from the salary of a member whose name is published for absence on four or more sitting days during a year. More>>

ALSO:

Electricity Debate: New Zealanders charged too much?

A new report from the Electricity Authority shows that electricity charges in New Zealand were far below the cost of supply for many decades, and that current charges are almost in line with the costs that have been incurred to supply electricity.

This finding is contrary to claims that consumers have been over-charged for electricity for more than 30 years and they have already paid off past investments. More>>

ALSO:

Gordon Campbell: On David Cunliffe’s State Of The Nation Speech

In the world of thankless jobs, being the Leader of the Opposition is right up there. It involves being the eternal suitor – always trying to look strikingly different on one hand but credibly reliable on the other, while being unable to make a shred of meaningful difference for a year or more. In the world attuned to political speed dating, the election cycle seems like forever. Add in the fact that the media that you’re relying on to convey your love notes to the electorate is more interested in what is good politics rather than what may be good policy, and the process becomes even more daunting. And alas, the more that you earnestly profess the nobility of your intentions, the less enticing you tend to become. More>>

ALSO:

Two Grammys: PM Congratulates Lorde On Grammy Success

Prime Minister John Key has congratulated Lorde and Joel Little on their success at the Grammy Awards today.
Auckland singer/songwriter Ella Yelich-O’Connor, who performs as Lorde, won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance, and together with co-producer Joel Little won Song of the Year for Royals.
“This Grammy success underlines a fantastic year for Lorde and Joel Little. They have achieved something no other New Zealander has,’’ says Mr Key.More>>

ALSO:

Under the Spotlight: NZ’s Human Rights Record Presented In Geneva

Justice Minister Judith Collins appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva last night to discuss New Zealand’s progress in promoting and protecting human rights.

“New Zealand is internationally recognised for its long-standing commitment to improving human rights and has much to be proud of and to celebrate,” Ms Collins says.

“The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process gives New Zealand the opportunity to discuss our human rights achievements and reflect on the challenges we must address to continue to be a world leader in this area.” More>>

ALSO:

MFAT Leaks: Derek Leask Releases Documents in Defence

“On 12 December 2013 the Report of the MFAT Investigation was released making incorrect and unproven assertions about Derek Leask.
“This was followed immediately by unwarranted public comments.
Derek Leask continues to receive questions about this matter from the media. Accordingly, in order to defend his reputation and to ensure some balance in public commentary on this matter, he is releasing four documents as follows: More>>

ALSO:

Education Release: Green Party Launch Education Policy

The Green Party has announced a major policy proposal today to tackle the effects of growing inequality on children’s educational achievement by establishing on-site community hubs in low decile schools.

The policy, entitled Schools at the Heart, will cluster health, welfare and other support services in decile 1-4 schools in order to mitigate the impact of poverty and inequality on a child’s learning.
More>>

ALSO:

Gordon Campbell: On Govt’s Plans For Incentivising Teachers

It may still be only January, but the first of the election year goodies has just been unveiled.
Hard to argue with an extra $359 million for teacher pay, spread over four years. No doubt, this helps to explain the guarded optimism with which the PPTA has greeted the education reform package announced yesterday by Prime Minister John Key. Thankfully, the government has committed itself to working out the details of the proposed changes with the education sector unions and with school trustee organisations. More>>

ALSO:

Labour Party: Latest Rape Case Underlines Need For Action

Todays reported rape case involving two young men, who believed that they should not be charged with rape because their victim was comatose and they didn’t act violently, highlights a culture that will alarm New Zealanders and reinforce the ongoing call for action that is being ignored by the Government, says Labour’s Women’s Affairs spokesperson Carol Beaumont.
“ Their attitude is deeply concerning. The young woman was further humiliated by other others who came into the room looking at her and touching her. The whole situation clearly shows a culture where attitudes devoid of an understanding of respect and consent are prevalent. More>>

ALSO:

Politicians At Ratana: Keeping Ratana's Message Alive For Maori

Ratana’s simple message of unity, social justice and equality for Māori is being lost in the revival of tribalism and pork barrel politics says New Zealand First.

Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters and members of New Zealand First made their annual trip to Whanganui today to commemorate the birthday of the Māori spiritual and political leader Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana. More>>

ALSO:

Crown Finances: Crown Accounts Reinforce Need For Discipline

The Government’s financial statements for the five months to 30 November reinforce the need to remain focused on disciplined fiscal and economic policy, Finance Minister Bill English says.
Lower core Crown tax revenue than forecast in the Half-Year Update last month left the operating deficit before gains and losses at $2.34 billion for the five months. More>>

ALSO:

Gordon Campbell: On National’s Election Fling With NZ First

Anyone who felt surprised by yesterday’s announcements about who National sees as being its compatible coalition partners after the last election would have to be either naive, or asleep at the wheel. United Future Act and the Maori Party may be the preferred partners of the Key government but the fortunes of all three have been ebbing away to an extent where each may bring only a solitary MP to the post-election bargaining table later this year. It has long been evident that National needs new partners, and the Conservatives and New Zealand First are its only fallback options.More>>

ALSO:

Elections: Labour Dumps Tax Policies For Upcoming Election

Labour has dumped two bothersome tax-related policies from its last election campaign which it estimates will free up about $1.5 billion a year.
A previously proposed $5000 tax-free zone and a GST exemption on fresh fruit and vegetables have been given the boot – along with the potential for opposition parties to quiz exactly how the policies would work in practice.Labour leader David Cunliffe said other policies, including tax-oriented plans, will be announced in his State of the Nation address next Monday. More>>

ALSO:

World Report 2014: War On Syria’s Civilians Unchecked

The Syrian government’s policy of waging war by killing civilians, and increasing abuses by rebel groups, elicited horror in 2013 but not enough pressure from world leaders to end atrocities and hold perpetrators to account, Human Rights Watch said today in releasing its World Report 2014.The initial international response was more effective when several African countries faced mass atrocities.More>>

ALSO:

Affordable Housing?: Gordon Campbell On Housing As An Election Issue

According to a recent international study New Zealand is one of the least affordable places on Earth to own a house, given that the study’s authors estimate that house prices in Auckland are running at roughly 8 times a median income of $75,000. As Radio New Zealand has reported :

The 10th annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, which ranks 360 cities in 10 countries according to their affordability, named New Zealand as having one of the least affordable markets in the world. Auckland ranked 347th of the 360 cities.More>>

ALSO:


Get More From Scoop
 

LATEST HEADLINES

More RSS  RSS
 
 
 
 
 
 
Parliament
Search Scoop  
 
 
Powered by Vodafone
NZ independent news