Dalziel Lianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Dalziel Lianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 18 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5277. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
10. 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL (Labour—Christchurch East) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: On what date did she approve the proposal for changes to the schools network in Canterbury announced last Thursday and when were school principals and board of trustee chairs affected by the proposed closures first invited to a briefing on that proposal? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. In answer to the first part Cabinet approved the education renewal plan for Christchurch Waimakariri and Selwyn on 20 August 2012 including a $1 billion investment. In answer to the second part on 5 September a newsletter went to all schools inviting them to a meeting on 13 September. This was followed up on 6 September by an email invite and on 7 September hard-copy invites were sent to all schools. Further the principal and board chair of proposed closing merging and relocating schools were contacted by phone the day before the announcement at 10 a.m. on Thursday 13 September. I personally met with most of the affected schools and then with all schools outlining the Government’s proposal and opening the Ministry of Education’s third phase of consultation. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Why did she not brief the schools proposed to close before the day of the public announcement to minimise the impact of unexpected news on the parents who have relied on these schools for stability and normality in their children’s lives since the earthquakes? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: In weighing up all of the circumstances and factors I chose to brief them first at 10 o’clock in the morning. The expectation was that the embargo until 2 o’clock would give them the opportunity to speak to their schools. In the event the embargo was extended to 4 o’clock and was broken. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Is the consultation that boards are being asked to undertake where closures or mergers are indicated consultation as required under the Education Act to close or merge a school or is it a genuine opportunity to influence a different outcome from the closure or merger proposals? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: We opened the third phase of consultation on 13 September. There will be specific processes unfolding depending on the status of the particular school. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked that question very carefully because there are consultation requirements under the Act and I do not believe that the Minister addressed the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The substance of the question was whether the consultation process would simply follow the requirements as spelt out in the Act or whether there was an opportunity to actually influence the outcome of the proposal. If the Minister could help in her answer with that that would be most helpful. 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: To be clear—[ 
Interruption 
] To be clear to be clear—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is not helping. I do not mean the Minister; I mean the member interjecting. 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: To be clear the third stage of consultation opened last Thursday on 13 September. At the point that I formally begin the process under the Act then that process will be followed and those particular schools will be notified. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Can she confirm that any school earmarked for closure from January 2013 will not be required to close in 2013 unless they voluntarily select this option and what steps can they take to remain open? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: As I have already said the third stage of consultation opened on 13 September. Thirteen schools are proposed for closure of which two have indicated that they wish to seek voluntary closure. The remaining will be on a time line that incorporates both this open consultation now and under the Act at a date that I am yet to define. It will be in the unfolding of that process that we will know what the subsequent steps and their time line will be. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: I seek leave to table a statement from nearly 130 of the people who attended the Ouruhia Model School meeting last night asking for support around the fact that there is no major earthquake damage at their school their school roll is steady and they have a dedicated community and staff behind them committed to supporting the school. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to—[ 
Interruption 
] Members are inquiring about the source of the document. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: It is a signed— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It is just a signed statement from a meeting. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: It is a signed statement from 128 people—128 people have signed this. 
Hon Hekia Parata 
: Isn’t it a petition? 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: It is not a petition— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! It is a signed statement by 120 members of a community involved in this process. Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.