Maharey - Minister of Double Standards

Thursday 25 Nov 2004 Deborah Coddington Press Releases -- Tertiary Education

While the Labour Government allows Te Wananga o Aotearoa to flout the law regarding university status, it is passing legislation which unfairly punishes Auckland's Unitec, ACT's Education Spokesman Deborah Coddington said today.

"To be a university, an education institution must pass a set of standards and criteria. Te Wananga o Aotearoa is calling itself the University of New Zealand and Steve Maharey excuses this breach of the law as a 'translation.' (PQ - 16607 - rec'd 23.11)

"In the same breath the Minister is trying to pass new legislation to stop Unitec from becoming a university of technology. This is retrospective legislation as the Minister knows that Unitec has met all the NZQA criteria.

"The Education (Establishment Of Universities) Amendment Bill must not proceed. It is unconstitutional and unfair. It also politicises the process for an institution to become a university by applying, upfront, a ministerial 'national interest' test.

"It's a pity the Government doesn't apply a 'national interest' test to the setting up of new education bureaucracies. Instead it has one rule for a Maori university and another law for Auckland Unitec, as well as reduces choice for students," said Miss Coddington.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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