工党高等教育发言人玛丽安•丝翠特(Hon Maryan Street)称，国家党对将高等教育作为当务之急的日增需求置之不理。
教育部长安托丽（Ann Tolley）今天在特别委员会上表示，她削减成人社区教育的资金，是为了把经费优先投放给技校和大学的培训课程。
当被问及既然技校培训如此重要，为何她却没有增加这些技校的培训地点时，安托丽没有表态。
事实却证明安托丽称将把高等教育作为首要之急只是空话罢了。实际上她在做的是：削减成人社区教育课程资金，不愿为大学生提供更多教室，扬言会放任受资金困扰的的地方技校倒闭 。
“如果连成人教育和增加学生培训地点的益处都不知道的话，这位部长显然不了解什么在支持新西兰人不停学习工作。”
“尽管人们呼吁挽救成人社区教育课程，安托丽却说她不准备让财政部长就此立案，再做一个附加评估以挽回被砍的经费。这实际上就是说，所有这些宝贵的社区教育课程将一去不返。我对此失望透顶。“
"迄今为止没有一个国家党议员站出来向部长提及反对裁减成人社区教育资金的呼吁，我认为这反映了他们对社区缺乏尊重，盲目自大。"
"整个新西兰的社区都对削减掉80%的成人社区教育资金感到异常愤怒。”
玛丽安丝翠特说：”不仅如此，安托丽还以“造势”一词来攻击技校，因为后者反对国家党要限制学生入学人数的做法。这同样令人极其失望。“
”她指责说，技校方面统计出的、由于国家党拒绝增加学生数额，将使得学校丢失的入学人口数字—是夸大的编造。她这种荒谬的言论很侮辱人。”
“安托丽一边口口声声说政府将技术类培训放在首位，以提高就业机会，一边却设限卡住入学学生数量”
“因为失业，很多人都去技校提高技能---这是显而易见的事实。而这位教育部长倒打一耙，说技校搞“招生膨胀”。”
“在经济危机中削减人们受教育和培训的机会，却无法自圆其说，作为教育部长的安托丽自然有很大压力。”
“看来这位部长还得学学如何赢得大众的好感和信任，因为很明显她现在无法得到内阁同僚的支持，去缔造一个更强的高等教育业和更有技能的劳力市场。”
联系玛丽安•丝翠特（Maryan Street） 021 977 555
Hon Maryan Street Media Statement
“Anne Tolley today claimed at Select Committee that she had cut funding for Adult Community Education Courses to prioritise training at Polytechnics and Universities.
“However, when asked why, if Polytechnic training was such a priority, she hadn’t increased the number of training places at these institutions, she had no answers.
“Her statements on making tertiary education a priority ring hollow when the reality is she is making cuts to Adult and Community Education courses, not increasing places for tertiary students, and saying that she would allow any regional polytechnic that was struggling financially to fail.
“The Minister is clearly out of touch with what is needed to keep New Zealanders learning and working if she can’t see the benefits from adult education courses and increasing training places for students.
“I was extremely disappointed that, despite petitions being launched to save Adult Community and Education courses, Anne Tolley said she had no intention of making a case to the Minister of Finance for a supplementary estimate to bring back their funding. In essence she is saying there is no way back for these valuable community courses.
“I think the fact that not one single National Party MP has made any representation to the Minister on petitions regarding Adult and Community Education funding cuts shows a complete lack of respect for their communities and outright arrogance.
“Communities around the country have been outraged by the decision to cut 80 percent of Adult Community and Education funding from schools.
“I was also extremely disappointed at Anne Tolley’s decision to attack polytechnics over what she described as a ‘campaign’ against caps on the number of students,” Maryan Street said.
“Her accusation that polytechnic chief executives were releasing exaggerated figures of the number of people who will be turned away from tertiary education because of the National Government’s refusal to increase a student cap is both offensive and ludicrous.
“Anne Tolley chose not to increase the cap on student numbers despite claiming her government had prioritised skill based training that would increase employment opportunities.
“She is now attacking polytechnics for inflating enrolments when it is clear around the country that people who are being made redundant are flocking to polytechnics to upskill.
“Anne Tolley is clearly a Minister under pressure who can not justify cutting access to education and training in a recession.
“Perhaps the Minister needs to take a course on how to win friends and influence others because right now she it is clear she has no support from her cabinet colleagues to deliver a stronger tertiary education sector and better skilled workforce
Contact: Maryan Street 021 977 555
