30624 (2023). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education

30624 (2023). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education: Does the Minister still intend to progress a refocus of the curriculum to remove and replace gender, sexuality and relationship-based education guidelines as outlined in the coalition agreement between National and New Zealand First despite the Identity Survey which reported over a third of secondary school participants had experienced bullying at school in the past 12 months and two in five (40%) intersex participants who had been bullied reported that this bullying was based on their variations in sex characteristics, and if so, what reports has the Minister or her office received on the projected number of individuals who will experience an increase in mental health issues due to their sexuality or gender with the removal of gender, sexuality and relationship-based education guidelines?

Hon Erica Stanford: The Member is conflating the non-regulatory gender, sexuality and relationship-based education guidelines with the curriculum. Removing and replacing the gender, sexuality and relationship guidelines is part of the wider NZ First / National Coalition agreement.