Ruth
DYSON

MP for Port Hills

25 March 2015 MEDIA STATEMENT
Listen to the locals Hekia!

Minister Hekia Parata needs to understand what consultation is, Port Hills MP Ruth Dyson says.

“It means you have to listen to what people say in their submissions and then be able to demonstrate you have considered their views when you make your final decision.

“The Minister refused to give an assurance today when I questioned her, that she would listen to the submissions and back the call to return the school to Redcliffs. She needs to give that assurance so our community can have faith that her “consultation” is genuine.

“I am confident that the voices of Christchurch have and will be strong in calling for Redcliffs school to be returned to its site.

“The consistent geotech engineering reports say the site can easily and cost effectively be made safe. No one would have students and staff back on the site otherwise. It just needs a bund at the back of the school.

“But the Minister says that at some stage in the future there might be further rock falls which would damage or fill the bund and then possibly the school might have to close temporarily while it was cleared and repaired. .

“And she says that this would take two years. This is frankly pathetic.

“The proposal to close Redcliffs School is wrong. The site can easily be made safe and the students and staff return. It would restore the heart of this wonderful community,” says Ruth Dyson

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