18 June 2002

Education Minister Trevor Mallard predicted that later today Bill English and Nick Smith will announce that they would be prepared to totally capitulate to the PPTA in the current dispute.

Trevor Mallard predicted that they would promise a $3000 per annum payment for NCEA on top of the settlement reached by the Ministry and the PPTA in December.

“The cost of this capitulation for a short term contract would be $45 million and Bill English must explain, given his promise to cut tax, which part of the education vote he will cut to pay this 9.5 per cent increase.

“Teachers will not forget Nick Smith’s commitment to return to bulk funding and National’s preference for individual contracts,” Trevor Mallard said.

Ends

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