Fighting for Equity in Education

Flynn and friends raise $50,000 and survive ‘strike out’

The Flynn Primary School Parents and Citizens Association has lodged the $50,000 required to continue its legal challenge to school closures and survived an application to ‘strike out’ the action in the ACT Supreme Court today.

The ACT Government’s application to ‘strike out’ Flynn’s action and charge Flynn P&C for all legal costs to date was dismissed in the ACT Supreme Court following Flynn’s lodging of the $50,000 security earlier this week.

Flynn Primary P&C Association President Roger Nicoll said, “Raising the $50,000 is a major breakthrough for Flynn and the Canberra community and it demonstrates just how strongly people feel about protecting our schools and communities and ensuring that governments are accountable for their decisions.”

“With the posting of yet another increase to the budget surplus there seems to be a growing momentum across Canberra, not just to question some of the recent decisions, but to also restore many of the schools closed under Towards 2020.”

“Canberrans have every right to ask why their rates have gone up as much as 50% in the past year, while schools have been shut down and the government runs up a large surplus. In Flynn for example, ratepayers paid $337 or 39% extra rates in 2006–07, while losing its school and only community facility. The added fuel and transport costs for families from closed schools is approximately $1000 to $5000 per year.”

Flynn’s legal action under the Administrative Decisions Judicial Review Act aims to challenge the closure decision and, ideally, restore a school and community centre at Flynn.

Mr Nicoll said. “We understand that the Flynn case may also have wide public interest and appeal as it stands to scrutinise government process.”

“Flynn would like to thank all those groups and individuals across Canberra that have helped us to achieve this significant milestone, and we welcome ongoing support through the Friend of Flynn campaign.”

Further information about the Flynn challenge and how to support it can be found at the Save Flynn School website

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