Anne Tolley MP
National Party Education Spokeswoman

21 May 2008

Schools $171 million adds to Labour’s porkometer

The public will see right through Education Minister Chris Carter’s announcement today of an extra $171.6 million in operational funding to schools, says National’s Education spokeswoman, Anne Tolley.

“This Labour Government has had almost nine years to ease the financial concerns of parents who are increasingly digging into their pockets to fund their children’s free education.

“For nine years Labour has been stuffing its educational ministries with bureaucrats while frontline funding for schools has become ever more stretched.

“If Labour was that concerned about funding schools it would have been using the billions it already throws at education every year in our schools, not in ministries in Wellington.

“But nothing happens until it is only months from an election and Labour is in serious danger of political oblivion.

“And then Chris Carter makes a pre-Budget announcement of $171 million in extra operational funding for schools while he’s at Matipo School in his own electorate, Te Atatu.

“Even the most naïve will see this as cynical election year pork-barrelling.

“This latest attempt at election resurrection puts the porkometer up even further – and tomorrow’s Budget is still to come.”

ENDS

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