NZEI slams taskforce report

NZEI national secretary Paul Goulter. Photo / Steven McNicholl

The latest 2025 Taskforce report has gained another knocker, with an education sector union decrying its lack of attention to investment in education.

Chaired by former Reserve Bank governor and National leader and Don Brash, the 2025 Taskforce released its second report yesterday, warning that unless the Government quickly changed direction there was no chance of achieving aims of closing the wage gap with Australia and stopping the brain drain.

A year ago, in its first report, the taskforce put the pay gap at 32 per cent.

In its second report it said that on current policy settings that would grow to 42 per cent by 2025.

It advocated slashing government spending by $9 billion, cutting taxes, reducing beneficiary numbers by "ambitious" welfare reform, raising the pension age, cutting subsidies for health and education, reducing the minimum wage, selling state-owned assets and vigorously encouraging foreign investment.

The Labour Party has dismissed the report as "ideological claptrap", and Finance Minister Bill English said while aspects of it would be explored, he made it clear that most recommendations were politically unacceptable.

Education unions are already fighting battles over the implementation of national standards and pay rates for teachers, and have slammed cuts in funding to the early childhood education (ECE) sector which took effect this week.

New Zealand Educational Institute national secretary Paul Goulter said as unease about ECE cuts grew, the Taskforce was reiterating that universal subsidies for early childhood education should be removed.

He said that was in spite of evidence that investment in early childhood education provided significant social and economic benefits and that New Zealand already spent well below the OECD average in that area.

"The report harks back to a privatisation agenda which would see public investment in education slashed," Mr Goulter said.

"That sort of agenda makes no sense when it is widely accepted that investment in public education is what makes the difference in terms of giving people the skills they need to contribute to the economy and be productive."

He said while the report was supposed to outline closing the wage gap, it didn't mention boosting pay rates.

"New Zealand loses hundreds of trained teachers to Australia every year, where starting salaries are up to $20,000 higher."

"What Don Brash should be telling this government is that it should back up its words with action on closing the wage gap and pay people what they're worth."

- NZPA