Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
2 JUNE 2015

Ghetto-Like School Fails to Stir Key into Action

Northland College’s ghetto-like conditions are not stirring Prime Minister John Key into fixing the neglect in Northland, says Northland Member of Parliament and New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Despite a by-election loss and a promise to regain the trust of Northlanders, Mr Key has shrugged off the fact students are in dilapidated, rundown and neglected buildings that are mould ridden and leaking.

“He merely stated in Parliament today that he was sure a programme would be carried out at the school.

“But the school has watched start dates come and go for new buildings.

“Mr Key denied that while $350 million of extra funding is going into Auckland schools regions like Northland are missing out.

“This denial was despite comments of the Northland College principal who said ‘the process is hopelessly slow’, ‘when you’re living it day to day it’s tough’, and ‘I feel if we were in Auckland it would be faster’.

Mr Key was also unable to grasp the inadequacy of government policy through which more than $2.4 million was given to Whangaruru charter school but students and staff at a nearby college are struggling in appalling conditions.

“How can he say that he’s working hard and delivering for Northland when the illustrious Whananaki School has been waiting on an extra classroom for a year, and in the interim has had to use its library as a classroom and move all the books into corridors?” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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