MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 8 November 2012
Court to hear Salisbury School’s case on 27th November
The High Court in Wellington has agreed to hear on Tuesday 27 November 2012, Salisbury School’s
judicial review of the Minister of Education’s decision to close the school.
Since Court proceedings were filed in the High Court in Wellington on Monday 5th November, the Minister of Education,
the Hon Hekia Parata has agreed to take no further steps to close Salisbury School, pending determination of the
proceedings. This decision by the Minister not to gazette the closure means that Salisbury no longer has to ask the
Court for an interim order, requiring Ministry officials to take no further steps to either shift the girls or to close
the school in December.
Salisbury has advised parents that they now have the choice to either work with the Ministry of Education to develop a
wrap-around programme for their daughter for next year, or they can wait for the outcome of the judicial review before
making important decisions about their child’s future. School Board Chair Helen McDonnell says it is great news for
parents to have a court date set so quickly.
“This process needs to move quickly for the sake of the girls, their parents, and our staff, so having a court date
scheduled for this month, and a likely decision before Christmas, is great news, ” McDonnell says. “It is also extremely
reassuring to have the steps towards closure halted while our case can be heard.”
Ms McDonnell said that as legal proceedings are now confirmed, the Board will make no further comments about the case
until the matter had been determined by the court.
Background
Salisbury School is a residential school in Nelson for post-primary girls with complex intellectual impairment, from
around New Zealand. The school provides a 24 hour a day, seven day a week living and learning environment.
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