Magazine agrees to return leaked university documents

The student newspaper which published confidential information about a possible fee hike at Victoria University has agreed to return the leaked documents.

The university won an interim injunction in the High Court at Wellington on Friday.

But it was too late to stop Salient printing this week's edition.

Vice-Chancellor Pat Walsh on Monday backed down from a threat to ask a judge to extend the injunction to all 13 student magazines after Salient news editor Keith Ng removed the story from the Aotearoa Student Press Association news network and warned editors about the injunction.

In a joint statement released yesterday by Professor Walsh, the Students' Association and the editorial staff of Salient, it was announced that the issues had "now been resolved".

The parties have agreed that:

* The confidential documents leaked to VUWSA and Salient will be returned to Professor Walsh and all copies destroyed.

* The interim injunction in relation to the publication of the Salient edition of October 3 may be discharged and costs will "lie where they fall".

The 6000 copies of Salient's October 3 edition may now be distributed.

"All parties look forward to continuation of positive working relationships," the statement said.

None of the parties would be making any further comment to the media about the court proceedings, it said.

Meanwhile, fee increases are still under consideration.

Victoria University spokeswoman Jude Urlich said that a final report had not yet been written.

However, in previous years options have ranged from no fee increase to the maximum 5 per cent allowed under new limits.

An exemption could also be sought to raise fees by up to 10 per cent, she said.

"The key thing from the university's perspective is we have a right to engage in free and frank advice with our governance body without having that compromised through fear of publication."

- NZPA