Speaker’s son loses Medical School appeal

Press, 5 December 1985, Page 51

Speaker’s son loses Medical School appeal

PA Dunedin The University of Otago has dismissed a special appeal for Mr Justin Wall, the son of Dr Gerald Wall, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to enter the Otago Medical School. The appeal had been ordered by the former Gov-ernor-General, Sir David Beattie.'

The university registrar, Mr Douglas Girvan, said the appeal was dismissed on academic grounds. He declined to elaborate.

Mr Wall, aged 26, first tried to gain entry in 1983 and 1984 under the Polynesian Preference Scheme, but was rejected. His father, a doctor of medicine, later “complained” to the GovernorGeneral as Visitor to the University (the final appeal authority). Sir David commissioned Mr Stephan O’Regan, of Aoraki Consultant Services, to prepare a report. Mr O’Regan’s report said that even though Mr Wall’s

course record was “unacceptable” (his highest mark in his science degree was a B minus), he should gain entry, because he had ability and motivation to complete the course and was ’’entitled to some measure of redemptive action by the university.” Mr O’Regan also told Sir David that the question of entry was finely balanced. Sir David decided Mr Wail should be given another chance by way of a new appeal.

After the university had rejected Mr O’Regan’s report, Sir David declined to rule on the academic merits of Mr Wall’s case.

The new appeal has since gone ahead. The recommendation of the special review committee that Mr Wall’s appeal be dismissed was 1 agreed to at a University Council meeting. When Mr Wall first applied in 1983, all six Polynesian preference places were not filled. It was not considered there were six

candidates of sufficient standard.

Up to six places a year are set aside for Polynesians who have not reached the normal academic standards. The whole system of entry is under review by the university. Mr Wall declined to comment on the outcome of this latest appeal. The president of the Otago University Students’ Association, Mr Liam Kennedy, said the affair showed that if there was a right to appeal the Medical School also had a duty to tell people of that right He also said the appeal had raised important points about Medical School admission. He said the fact Mr Wall’s father was the Speaker of Parliament had no effect on how matters went He said that Mr Wall had fulfilled the minimum requirements as laid down in the university calendar and that, especially when the quota was not full, he had every right to appeal.