Smith: Denigrate NZ history at your peril, Minister

The day an Education Minister refers to the teaching of New Zealand history in the country's schools as someone's "pet subject" is a sad one indeed, United Future's Murray Smith said today in calling for the subject to be compulsory in senior classes.

"Trevor Mallard would do well to wake up to what an important subject this is in a country where so many people are so woefully ignorant of the events that have formed our nation," Mr Smith said.

"One would have thought that any Education Minister worth his salt would see the merit in this, but Mr Mallard seems incapable of moving past glib one-liners," Mr Smith said after tackling the Minister in Parliament today.

"And frankly, that a Minister who has only recently been appointed to an overseeing role in terms of race relations, can't see the merit in having the next generation of New Zealanders better informed on where we have come from, is just astounding," Mr Smith said.

"This Government clearly still doesn't get it. If we want a better future as a nation, then New Zealanders need to be better informed as a starting point.

"A generation of New Zealanders who know who they are would be a good start, wouldn't you think, Minister?"

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