Labour is calling on universities, polytechnics and wananga to stop so-called “whitestreaming”, where specialist Māori jobs and services are replaced by generalist positions, Labour’s Māori Education spokesperson Adrian Rurawhe says.

“A new report by the Tertiary Education Union has found every university in New Zealand, most polytechnics and even one wānanga has cut jobs that support Māori students.

Last week my whānau took our mokopuna to the Powhiri for new students, at his new High school. So I was able to speak to a number of parents who had been thinking about what the future holds for their children. Parents and their tamariki in their last years of high school will be making some important life decisions.

Maybe their child will go into trades training, an apprenticeship or on to study at university they’ll face big fees and living expenses. Training for a career is exciting but the thought of big loans and debt is hardly the stuff of the great Kiwi dream. It makes all those other big life decisions – buying a house, marriage and having children – so much harder.

My first full year in Parliament seems to have flown by, but there have been a number of memorable moments.  The status post on my Facebook page that received the most comments was "Saddest place I've ever been to. Auschwitz-Birkenau. We must never ever forget." I also pasted a number of photos, with this status. Most people took these words to mean exactly what  I meant them to be.  That I had found visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau to be a very sad place, one that we must never forget.  But a few people took the opportunity to try to minimise what had happened at Auschwitz-Birkenau, and to attack me because they thought that I was ignoring other atrocities that have happened around the world. This of course was utterly untrue, but I was none the less amazed that 13 words could cause so much bother.

The Ministry of Education has failed Maori by allowing years of debt to rack up then closing the iconic Turakina Maori Girls’ College at Christmas, says Labour’s Te Tai Hauauru MP Adrian Rurawhe.

“The timing has been completely inconsiderate as senior students have to contend with important external exams while coping with the added pressure of closure.

“Hekia Parata has had ample time to review the books and find alternative governance structures so the failure lies squarely with the Ministry.

The Education Minister must sincerely engage with the local school community before deciding whether she will close Turakina Māori Girls’ College, Labour’s local MP for Te Tai Hauāuru Adrian Rurawhe says.

“Closing Turakina would have a devastating effect on its students and whānau. This school has been operating for 110 years and has produced a number of young leaders.