19 December 2012
Immediate Release

Lesley Longstone handed poisoned chalice by the Government

The resignation of Education Secretary Lesley Longstone is yet another indication that the Government must rethink its unpopular education agenda.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says the Government’s education policy is in disarray – not only because it’s unpopular but because it’s just plain wrong.

“I have some sympathy for Ms Longstone who was handed an impossible task by the Government. This was a certainly a poisoned chalice.”

He says the Minister of Education Hekia Parata needs to rethink education and this time focus on retaining and enhancing our quality public education system so that all children get the opportunity to succeed.

“Policies that lead to privatization and inequity have no place in New Zealand’s public education system.

“We’ve been going down the wrong path for several years now – National Standards, league tables, performance pay for teachers and charter schools will have a severely detrimental effect on our education system.

“We now need a complete change in direction and to focus on how we can improve our current system.”

Mr Goulter says he has some sympathy for Lesley Longstone who was brought to New Zealand a year ago to implement the Government’s reforms.

“In the end we must remember that it is the Government that sets the policy, and the Minister of Education now needs to show leadership to resolve the disarray that the Government has created in education.”

ends

© Scoop Media

Arguably Reassuring: Inspector-General Finds GCSB "Arguably" Legal

Of the 88 individuals:

• 15 cases involving 22 individuals did not have any information intercepted by GCSB.

• another four cases involving five individuals were the subjects of a New Zealand Security Intelligence Service warrant and the GCSB assisted in the execution of the warrants. The Inspector-General is of the view that there were arguably no breaches and the law is unclear.

• the Bureau only provided technical assistance which did not involve interception of communications, involving three of the individuals, so no breach occurred.

• the remaining cases involved the collection of metadata, and the Inspector-General formed the view that there had arguably been no breach, noting once again that the law is unclear.
More>>