Southern View: September 04, 2018

SOUTHERN VIEW Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tuesday September 4 2018 3
News
Redcliffs Park group ‘not confident’
• By Matt Salmons
A PETITION to try and
reinstate Redcliffs School to its
original site will be tabled in a
do-or-die meeting tomorrow.
Community group Friends of
Redcliffs Park has been fighting
for urgent legislation to prevent
Redcliffs School’s relocation to
the park since 2016.
A 208-signature petition
from the group was referred
to Parliament’s workforce and
education select committee last
month. A decision whether to
take the matter further is likely
to be made tomorrow.
Group spokesman Chris
Doudney said it was hard to
feel too confident about the
petition’s fate considering the
fight so far.
“I’d say we’re not very
confident at all. But who knows
though.”
It comes as Friends of
Redcliffs Park is waiting on a
report expected from the office
of the Ombudsman in March.
Mr Doudney made a
complaint against the Ministry
of Education to the Ombudsman
on behalf of the group on June
22 last year, noting the urgency
of the request.
“They said it would be ready
in March, but still nothing has
happened. Then they said it
would be in a couple of weeks in
April, then in May, then in June.
“In the meantime, the
Ministry goes ahead to demolish
the school,” Mr Doudney said.
In a letter sent to the
Ombudsman on August 17,
Mr Doudney said the group
was “very concerned that your
office is taking excessive time to
release your report.”
He said he understood the
Ombudsman could not direct
the Government to take action
with regard to the report, but
said the report would support
the petition in allowing the
group to take its concerns to
Parliament.
Christchurch Central Labour
MP Duncan Webb presented the
petition to Parliament on behalf
of Friends of Redcliffs Park in
July.
Depending on the outcome
of today’s meeting, the select
committee may ask for more
information from the submitters
and arrange hearings of the
evidence from both sides.
If that happened, a report
would be prepared and used to
advise their recommendations
to Parliament.
In response to Mr Doudney’s
letter, Chief Ombudsman Peter
Boshier said the investigation
WAITING GAME:
Chris Doudney
says it is hard to
feel confident
about the fate
of the Friends
of Redcliffs Park
petition. ​
was “well advanced” but had
raised a number of complex
issues.
“All of this has taken quite
some time and consideration.
My office has been in regular
contact with Mr Doudney
regarding the progress of this
investigation. I appreciate there
is significant local interest in
this issue and it is my intention
to progress matters shortly. I
know this is important,” Mr
Boshier said.
Designs for the new school,
set to be built in Redcliffs Park,
were released last month, with
construction expected to start at
the end of the year.
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
Ravn nails
apprentice
award
•From page 1
“I gave it a go last year and
wasn’t successful, so I tried again
this year. It was a motivation to
see how you faced off against your
contemporaries,” Mr Ravn said.
The regional competition
involved building something from
scratch in just two hours. Mr
Ravn built a tool box.
“Having to deal with your
nerves and having to deal with
industry leaders, I definitely think
it was a massive thing you need
to overcome. So different to when
you are working on site.”
After finishing high school, Mr
Ravn started a fine arts degree
at Canterbury University before
training as a carpenter.
“I like making things, so I
thought I would give it a go and
I really enjoyed it and here I am
now. In Christchurch, there was a
lot of demand.”
“The building industry is amazing.
And we do things that other
people can’t do, we create, and you
get paid to learn. Definitely give it
a go and see where you stand.”
Mr Ravn will take part in the
national competition in Auckland
on November 9.
Nuk Korako
National List MP based in
the Port Hills
Please feel free to contact my
office if there is anything I can
help you with.
A
E
P
6/950 Ferry Road, Ferrymead
nuk.korakomp@parliament.govt.nz
03 384 0008
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