Editor
As I write this column, ‘Budget Day’ is dawning. Budget Day Bill English has announced that $857m of new money will be always generates an element of excitement, particularly if you allocated to Education over four years. $359m has already been work in Wellington. In part, this is due to the age old tradition announced and has been set aside for the controversial Investing of the ‘Budget Lock Up’, where journalists, lobbyists and selected in Educational Success policy. $156m will be applied to early others feverishly gather a few hours before the official Budget childhood to keep fees affordable and encourage participation release, and stripped of any communication device are given and $172.5m will go towards the upgrade and repair of schools. access to the Budget document. They are then quite literally A quick break down of the main increases shows that locked in together until after the Minister of Finance has schools’ operational grants will be increased by $85.317m delivered his Budget speech. (2 per cent) over the four years; These days, the whole charter schools will get $8.337m Because it is an election year there process is less exciting because further funding in operations Governments tend to leak are likely to be some sweeteners grant; $4.68m for students with their major announcements high health needs; $2.37m to prior to the Budget. This gives that are kept secret until the actual extend the programme ‘Reading the public time to get used to Together’; $16.89m for the day. them so that when Budget day Greater Christchurch Education arrives, there are no surprises. For example we already know that Renewal Programme: property components; $38.13m for school in this Budget there is new spending on Education ($359m), property expansion; $8.5m for increased insurance premiums announced in January, money for Defence and for NZ Trade following the Christchurch earthquakes; $3.04m for the & Enterprise. We can expect health will get at least a modest computers in homes programme; $29.82m for the Public Private injection as it usually does. To neutralise opposition initiatives Partnership (PPP) at Hobsonville Point; and $10.38m for leaky that have gained some traction, there may also be a boost for buildings remediation. housing and something to counter Labour’s baby bonus. But Are these the sweeteners you were looking for? If you support overall we have already been warned that conservatism will the shift towards privatisation of education, then you will be rule the day. suitably satisfied with the Hobsonville PPP getting a significant Because it is an election year there are likely to be some increase in funding and charter schools getting a further $8.3m sweeteners that are kept secret until the actual day. The boost. It certainly makes the charter school funding an attractive excitement then is all about ‘sweetener speculation’ and whether option, as it sits at six times the rate of the normal public school what the Government has chosen to get them across the line per child funding. in the ensuing election battle, will actually resonate with the The 2 per cent increase in the operations grants for public voting public. schools will hardly set the world alight and the property funding We all have our personal dreams about what the Government is a response to growth and maintenance. should spend our money on but in the end it has to be about No, education was not a big winner this time round. The priorities. There will never be sufficient money to fund big sweeteners this year sit outside of the school gate with free everybody’s wish list and there are always competing interests. health care for children up to age 13 taking top prize. For those In the end we now know that the Government has surprised expecting some relief for the one in four children living in us with a huge new allocation to health so that every child under poverty, this announcement is big. It is an excellent first step 13 will have free health care. That’s a decision which will resonate and indirectly will help schools. Children who arrive at school with thousands of New Zealand families who struggle to pay for sick and hungry can’t learn. Together with the Food in Schools Doctor’s fees. It will also please the advocates for children living programme, extending free health care to 400,000 more kids in poverty and the Government must be congratulated on their will mean all children can arrive at school fed and greatly more inspired choice. Together with the additional paid parental leave, healthy. If the Government could also sort out the housing issues these two sweeteners will have a positive effect for young families. we’d be getting close to having every child arriving at school Of great interest in the NZPF office is Vote Education. ready to learn.