Willie Jackson: ‘Bumper sticker politics’ does not make for good, sensible policy

National's Christopher Luxon and Act's David Seymour. Photo / RNZ

Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson says Act and National’s “bumper sticker” politics will generate headlines but offer no solutions - just create fear and hysteria.

“Right now we are seeing a dangerous game of political one-upmanship between David Seymour and Chris Luxon as both attempt to manipulate anger and fear over crime and truancy.

“They are more interested in who can come up with counterproductive ‘get tough on crime’ rhetoric than actually solving the complex issues that lead to youth offending,” Jackson posted on Facebook.

“Act first wanted 11-year-old children in ankle bracelets. Then, National moved to demanding 10-year-olds in ankle bracelets and military boot camps while attacking parents and schools.

“Today, Act has gone a step further in this dance of extremist policy by pushing for parents of truant children to be fined!”

Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson. Photo / Supplied

Act would change the Education and Training Act to allow the Ministry of Education to introduce an infringement notice regime for truancy.

“None of this nonsense will do the hard work of actually creating a positive environment that sends kids back to school. You have to work with the community to get kids to school, and blaming the recent high levels of truancy in the middle of a pandemic on schools and parents is just insulting!”

But Act Education spokesman Chris Baillie, a former teacher, said the education system has been “declining” for years, and Labour’s goal of 70 per cent attendance by 2024 was “uninspiring”.

Luxon has also been critical of poor school attendance rates under the Labour Government, laying blame on parents and school leaders and also not ruling out a punitive approach, including fines.

“Punishing parents and making more extreme punishments is easy, cheap politics, which is all National and Act are good for,” Jackson said.

“The social problems we face are complex - bumper sticker slogans by National and ACT won’t work.”