Hon Hodgson: Key confused and inconsistent

John Key’s worry about ‘capping’ student fees on Breakfast TV this morning reveals his confusion and inconsistency when it comes to the Tertiary Education sector, Tertiary Education Minister Pete Hodgson said today.

When television presenter Paul Henry asked him what National would do with regard to universities allowing them to cap their student numbers, John Key replied that he was worried about the capping of student fees.

“Let’s spell out the many and various positions John Key has occupied on the fees policies and access issues in the past two months, culminating with his complete confusion this morning,” said Pete Hodgson.

In September at the Auckland University student’s breakfast meeting he was reported as saying he would abolish the government’s successful cap on the fees students can be charged to study; a week later on radio in Dunedin he had amnesia about those crowd-pleasing statements, and said his reported comments made in front of the breakfast meeting were lies.

This morning when invited to discuss entry to universities he betrayed that he was really worried about capping of student fees and his complete lack of understanding that the two are unrelated.

“While I’m not surprised his flip flop on student fees was a worry at the ‘top of his mind’, it wasn’t even the topic of questioning from the interviewer. John Key has insufficient knowledge to keep up, and when he is unscripted has trouble with his memory.”

“This man has aspirations to run a country? I don’t think he’s up to running a consistent line.” Pete Hodgson said.

ENDS

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