Friends of the Centre for New Zealand Studies

PRESS RELEASE

10 September 2009 15.30 For Immediate Release

Birkbeck Press Statement Partial and Unhelpful

The Friends of the Centre for New Zealand Studies are outraged by the press release issued by Birkbeck College and the University of London. They complain that it is partial and unhelpful. They are also dismayed that the New Zealand government has not insisted that Birkbeck honour the agreement it signed when it accepted a grant from Wellington that the Centre stay open until at least April 2011.

The Friends insist that the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Birkbeck and the New Zealand Government is a legally enforceable agreement, and challenge the parties who signed it to make it public if they believe that is not the case.

Paul Burns, a spokesperson for the Friends said, “No one has satisfactorily explained the urgency with which this closure is being conducted. It is the speed and secrecy with which decisions are being made that disturbs so many people. And we cannot understand how the High Commission has gone along with the closure when they have not spoken to Centre staff since August 24th. We are not aware of Birkbeck following the agreed protocols for closing part of the College, and varying the terms under which Ph.D students were recruited. The failure to consult with either the staff or Ph.D students is particularly deplorable.

“The idea that there will be a review after closure is laughable. Once the Centre closes, the momentum, networks, goodwill and many of the resources will be lost. Anyone interested in building on the fantastic record of the Director and the Centre would think long and hard before closing down the Centre in such a hurry. There has been a huge response from academics around the world saying how much they value the contribution of the Centre's director and the valuable resource it provides.”

The Friends of the Centre have vowed to fight on to expose the real reasons behind the closure of the centre. Requests have been made under Official Information in New Zealand and under Freedom of Information in the UK.

Ends