Trevor Mallard

Prime Minister John Key's reassurance to Pita Sharples that school league tables will not be an issue till "further down the track" is misleading nonsense, Labour Party education spokesman Trevor Mallard said today.

Dr Sharples said yesterday that National Standards posed a grave danger to Maori students. But he was shut down by John Key from making any further comment.

"John Key tried to smother any concerns with a suggestion that league tables would not be an issue till 2012 but any reassurance to Dr Sharples will be a false one because schools are subject to the Official Information Act," Trevor Mallard said.

"Any person or organisation in New Zealand who wants to apply for the results and construct league tables can do so at any time the new testing scheme - which starts today - is in operation.

"Clearly, Mr Key's soothing words to Dr Sharples are nonsense. Mr Key should stop the misleading statements and start being straight up," Trevor Mallard said.