During a regular segment on Mike Hosking’s breakfast show on Wednesday morning, Andersen wasn’t clear about Labour’s policy, leading to criticism from National that it didn’t have a consistent position.
“But we have been pretty clear about the fact that if National goes into a deal and does one, we won’t wind it back, as has happened over the past year.”
That’s in line with recent comments from Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who said a future Labour Government wouldn’t stop projects started by the current Government just because it wasn’t the party’s idea.
Andersen raised charter schools when asked on the radio show by National’s Mark Mitchell whether Labour would support a PPP for a school alongside an iwi.
“We think there are some fundamental areas. We don’t like charter schools. We have charter schools already if people do that. In our view, there are some basic public services where making a profit out of them doesn’t help them,” she said.
Labour MP Ginny Andersen. Photo / NZME.
Hosking used the opportunity to question Andersen on whether Hipkins had changed his tune on charter schools.
Hipkins, as Education Minister, abolished the charter school model after taking office in 2017, while transitioning some into state-integrated schools.
Given Hipkins’ comments about not cancelling everything the current Government was doing, Hosking wanted to know if that meant he had changed his mind on charter schools.
Andersen responded by repeating that New Zealanders were “tired of flicking back from one thing to the other”.
“Yes, we have some fundamental, ideological problems, but it’s also important that we keep making progress as a country and we’re just going to be held back if we keep flicking back and forwards,” she said.
“If there’s a big project that is in play that is working okay and there’s some good things there, we are not going to undo it for the sake of saying we know better.”
Hosking tried to clarify if that meant Labour would leave charter schools alone.
Andersen replied: “I’m not gonna make education policy on Newstalk ZB, but my understanding is the way we want to proceed, if there’s a big thing in place and it’s working okay, we’re not gonna unearth it.”
Mitchell said Andersen was “not being clear” about what Labour’s policy was.
“You can’t even be unequivocal about whether or not charter schools are going to stay, and you’ve just given us a big lecture about the fact that we can’t keep chopping back and forward,” he said.
Labour has long been opposed to charter schools. Photo / Thinkstock
In a statement to the Herald later on Wednesday, Andersen confirmed Labour’s position remained that charter schools would be abolished if the party returned to Government.
Despite being specifically asked on Newstalk ZB about charter schools, Andersen said in her statement she had been “making a broader point about not scrapping every major infrastructure project started by the previous Government”.
“On charter schools, Labour is committed to ending them,” she said, repeating previous party criticisms that they don’t offer better outcomes to students.
Senior National MP Chris Bishop said Labour’s “ever-changing position on PPPs has now spread to education policy”.
“You have to wonder what they’re doing over there when they can’t find a consistent position on the very little policy they even have,” he told the Herald.
“But let me also be clear about where we will step in. The next Labour Government will not support any step towards the private ownership or operation of our public hospitals, schools, prison or critical infrastructure,” she said.
That didn’t clarify if Labour was opposed to private companies being involved in building or financing those projects. Edmonds later clarified that Labour was also opposed to that.
At a media stand-up, she couldn’t provide clarity about whether Labour’s opposition included projects like the new Northland dry dock. She wouldn’t rule anything in or out on specific contracts, saying the party would look at them at the time.
Newsroom reported earlier this week that Edmonds acknowledged it could be confusing and the party’s communications may have lost their nuance in an attempt to speak to the wider public. It reported she apologised if uncertainty had been created.
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub Press Gallery office.
