Headline: Not another excuse to trample Christchurch democracy
Cantabrians are sick of this Government’s attacks on democracy
Issues with the speed of building consents in Christchurch is not an excuse for the Government to trample on Cantabrians’ democracy again, the Green Party said today.
“Gerry Brownlee says he has had enough, but actually Cantabrians have had enough of this Government trying to bully the city,” Green Party Christchurch spokesperson Eugenie Sage said today.
“The Government should not use the increased Local Government Act powers it gave itself last year to interfere and take over the Christchurch City Council.
“There is an avalanche of building consents hitting this Council as we rebuild the city.
“Practical assistance by the Ministry for the Environment to increase the City Council’s capacity to process consents would be a more constructive measure than engaging in a blame game.
“After getting rid of the regional council to push Government’s irrigation agenda, and changing the law to make it easier to do that, we can’t put it past this Government to march in and try to take over the City Council too.
“Cantabrians are sick of this Government’s attacks on democracy. We don’t need Minister Brownlee to threaten us with another one.”
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