Katherine Rich MP
National Party Education Spokeswoman

7 March 2007

Dozens of closed schools trashed

At least 108 closed and vacant schools have been trashed since January 2000, raising questions over how the Labour Government has managed school closures during its tenure, says National’s Education spokeswoman, Katherine Rich.

Figures released through written parliamentary questions show 108 of the nearly 200 schools closed since January 2000 have been vandalised.

“The Labour Government is turning a blind eye as local communities, already devastated at school closures, are forced to watch while the properties are trashed.

“There has to be a better way for the Ministry of Education to manage vacated schools so the value of the properties can be maintained.

“The Ministry of Education has dismissed the idea of security on the basis of cost, estimating that monitoring could cost a school $10,000 a week. This is just nonsense.

“I am not suggesting one person sit gnome-like guarding a school 24 hours a day. What I am suggesting is that the Ministry considers reasonable monitoring available from many security firms through out New Zealand.

“Firms can make regular visits and respond to alarms or call-outs. This takes the load off police and has been shown to reduce vandalism.

“The cost would certainly be less than the loss from mindless vandalism which upsets locals and destroys property values.

“But the main aim has to be speeding up the process of sale once a school is closed.

“Major delays create more opportunities for vandals and means the value of the property can reduce dramatically, to the detriment of all taxpayers.

“If the Ministry is going to leave schools vacant for years, it is asking for trouble.”

ENDS

See... PQ01717 (PDF)

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