Paula Bennett MP
National Party Associate Education Spokeswoman (Early Childhood)

22 February 2007

Minister continues to dodge 20 free questions

The Education Minister continues to dodge questions over '20 free hours' and claims that early childcare centres will not force parents into paying top-up fees for the Government scheme, says National's Associate Education spokeswoman, Paula Bennett.

"The Minister today refused to confirm earlier statements that 92,000 three and four year-olds will definitely get access to the scheme.

"The Minister has gone from promising 92,000 three and four year-olds would have access to the scheme, to saying 'up to' 92,000 preschoolers would benefit, to now saying 'potentially' 92,000 children will benefit.

"The Minister also claims the Government subsidy for the scheme will cover the cost of providing '20 free hours'.

"The Government's own papers, obtained by National under the Official Information Act and released last week, show officials warned in May last year that many cash-strapped services could not afford to provide '20 free hours' without forcing parents into contracts agreeing to top up the cost of the scheme.

"Despite a number of centres saying publicly that the proposed rates are simply not enough and parents will have to pay top-up fees, the Minister continues to deny this is an issue.

"The 20 hours childcare offered by the Government will not be 'free'.

"The Minister is completely ignoring very clear and public statements from the sector that this scheme simply will not work, and parents still have no certainty over whether this policy will actually go ahead.

"It's time the Minister owned up to this empty promise and stopped playing games with New Zealand parents."

ENDS

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