The government’s new legislation for Christchurch – the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill – was introduced to parliament this week and has a familiar ring – the people of Christchurch and their democracy are to be side-lined again while “business interests” override community and democracy.
The bill is designed to take over the work of CERA (Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority) set up after the earthquake with wide autocratic powers to usurp local democracy and remake the city in business interests – disaster capitalism New Zealand style.
CERA has reached the end of its sunset clause and so the latest proposals were put forward last week. Despite people in the city being “submissioned out” (the endless requests for submissions which are readily ignored) the government received 2,810 submissions from the people of Canterbury on its proposals.
The local Star newspaper has summed it up like this:
“The draft plan was put forward for feedback in July, and 2810 submissions were received.
The majority of people who made submissions said the proposal would not create the “step change” needed to address the challenges in the central city.
Most were not against the new entities being created, but wanted them to be run locally rather than by Government.
But most strategic partners and key business organisations supported the Government plan”
And who won out? No surprises that the pugnacious face of big business, Gerry Brownlee, gave the public his finger and sided with corporate Christchurch.
Under Brownlee’s legislation a new joint Crown-council entity called Regenerate Christchurch would have an “independent” board – with members appointed by both the council and Crown – and would become a council-controlled organisation only after another five years. Gerry Brownlee will appoint the first person to chair the organisation till 2019 and the council will appoint the chair from 2019 to 2021.
Sound familiar? This is the same model the Government imposed on Christchurch when it abolished the democratically-elected board of ECAN (Environment Canterbury) in 2010 after corporate farming interests complained they couldn’t get easy access to the irrigation water they wanted. Earlier this year the government announced it was replacing its own ECAN commissioners with a “mixed governance model” where seven members would be elected across Canterbury at the local elections in October 2016 and six appointed by Government.
In the case of ECAN and CERA the government acted to back corporate business interests where those interests could not get their way through a democratic process. In both cases the government appointees will make way for democracy only after they have cemented in place corporate-friendly strategies and plans that will be unable to be undone by elected representatives.
It was good to see local Labour MP Megan Woods challenge Brownlee’s plans but where were our local mayor and councillors?
Astonishingly Mayor Lianne Dalziel welcomed the government’s plans and said she looks forward to working with the Crown.
This former Labour MP has not come very far from promoting corporate interests in parliament as Minister of Commerce to promoting corporate interests as Mayor of Christchurch.
She is more Gerry Brownlee’s handmaiden than a mayor representing the interests of the people of Christchurch.
The city deserves better.
That’s fucking outrageous !
And well done, for making the distinction between ‘corporate’ farming and real, actual farming.
Good ol’ neoliberal ‘ol Liane huh? Who’d a thunk it.
When I was being thrown around my house like a rag doll , albeit it an old, pink, wrinkly one . I mused at my then female human partner “ Someone’s going to make a fortune outa this “
Big jazza aye ? I wonder if he has something on Dalziel ?
Yep ! fortunes are being made and I’ll go out on another limb here by stating again that many folks believe that Christchurch was a HAARP etc. planned event. Most have a hard time with this as well as the truths behind 9 / 11 but lets open our minds a bit.
Strategic city for the greedy power elite. Destroy, rebuild and make a fortune while setting up homes in a safer environment and closer to the Pacific rim away from the failing and planned destruction of America. Look at the secret connections between businesses like Fletcher Building etc. and the upper 1% greedy elite corporations and families and just why they would want this to happen and how they would benefit. SO MANY NEW BUSINESSES MOVED TO AND SET UP IN CHRISTCHURCH, SOME GOOD AND SERVICE MINDED, MANY GREEDY AND UNETHICALLY PROFIT ORIENTED AT THE COST OF MANY PEOPLES SUFFERING.
This recent Natz mega funding of these likely same businesses instead of better helping the people states volumes.
=====>>>> Thanks again John for keeping this alive. I appreciate your work.
There was an intensely powerful ! several year long blog on Uncensored site after the quake and many reputable and honest people shared inside info on all of this and it was so hot and likely truthful that it was removed and never seen again. The site and the bloggers were targeted and weird things happened with that site and some of our connections. It threatened the truths coming out. Many stated the huge planned profits and the need to control Christchurch strategically and economically. Look at all the Rothschilds and other NWO upper 1 % ers that are still buying up land, property and businesses in and around Christchurch. Look at the connections between these power elites and businesses like Fletcher Building and more. Look at the meetings of these corporate power elites in Wellington and elsewhere just before the quake and John Keys presumed connections.
Christchurch airport ; the Arctic ; the Nazi connections and on and on and on . . . . . . . . .
I hope the further investigations and research can provide the real truths that are being intentionally kept away from us.
https://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/christchurch-fletcher-and-zombie-banks-are-john-keys-masters-making-a-mint-out-of-the-christchurch-quake/
http://uncensored.co.nz/2011/03/04/was-the-christchurch-earthquake-a-terrible-natural-disaster-or-was-it-a-terrible-man-made-disaster/
https://www.facebook.com/Haarp-Caused-Christchurchs-Biggest-Earthquake-in-Its-History-4-Sept-2010-125252457523446/
http://uncensored.co.nz/2013/03/19/man-made-christchurch-quake-who-what-when/comment-page-1/
I just found out that some of those blog comments on that Uncensored site about the initial Christchurch earthquakes are available but likely not all of them.
For awhile there, we had no access to seeing all of the blog comments on the Uncensored site about the chch earthquake . It appears that we have access to most of them now. Not sure what happened there. So my stating that those comments were never seen again, is wrong.
Please promise you will never breed.
Words but not a shred of proof.
What land and businesses do the Rothchilds own in and around Christchurch?
Names and addresses please.
Lianne Dalziel
She has a nice job, if she does not rock the boat too much it will see her out. A nice option for her.
Thanks John, Christchurch does deserve better. Many folks feel shafted.
Corporations rule and own most of the National govt. so it is no surprise that Brown-nose Brownlee would promote their interests over the citizens who are still suffering. Too little too late.
Ole Boys network at its best and what a disgrace that spineless Dalziel goes right along with it. The likes of Fletcher Building etc. are celebrating about now as well as the Rothschilds and other greedy 1% ers who are buying buying buying and building building building en masse.
Sure the jobs are there now but not forever and even those lower level workers and renters are getting ripped off royally.
Greed rules and then the people suffer and are not being served by these
idiots we have as government officials now.
We all loose with their mis-management. So many in Christchurch are unhappy now and it is still frustrating trying to drive from one side of the town to the other. A few service businesses etc. are doing well but for the most past that city got shafted in so many ways and it still is under so much upheaval and stress. Great job Natz, — job well done.
Yeah welcome to Billy Bunter’s private city John.
You’d think that after everything we’ve been through down here the place would be starting to look better.
It ain’t. Dear Mayor Brown Nose (and what a nose!) makes sure that Christchurch is one of the shittiest cities in NZ/Aotearoa. Input from the people = zilch. Input from the rich = heap plenty Kemo Sabe.
In actual fact what the rest of you dumbarses in NZ/Aotearoa can see happening in ChCh is exactly what numerous bloggers on TDB have been foreseeing for the whole country in the wake of TPPA;
All the political clout goes to the greedies, and legal processes that allow the Etta to take action against business interests get closed down.
Everywhere else in NZ/Aotearoa the ordinaries get to choose their city/town councils and district councils. In Christchurch and Canterbury we have to have them chosen for us.
Could someone up in Wellington please stick a very large pin in Mr Brownlee? With a bit of luck the sudden deflation might send him into a geosynchronous orbit…
As for that former Labour turncoat…
Yep . She’s yet another Labour Party Sell Out .
That list is getting to be over 30 years long now
What we need is an Economic Bill of Rights stat, that covers the freedom to work and to have food, shelter, education, medical care and a decent retirement.
Some critics ask whether our system of making decisions by a mass popular vote easily manipulated by the paid-for media is the most effective way of governing on behalf of the people. In an interesting Ted Talk, political scientist Eric Li makes a compelling case for the system of “meritocracy” that has been quite successful in China —
http://www.ted.com/talks/eric_x_li_a_tale_of_two_political_systems?language=en
The freedom to vote carries little weight without economic freedom
If representative democracy actually worked it would be outlawed. The Christchurch earthquate gave the neo liberals an opportunity to remake C C in their own image.Never let a disaster go to waste.Waste those you want to get rid of.
In short – the new legislation essentially amounts to swapping the sign over on the front office door, and the CCC now has the honor of being the tea boy.
I see you’re starting your Chch Mayoral campaign early, Mr Minto.
Is Minto planning to stand?
Dalziel will be worried, she won’t want to upset central government, she will want to stand without having anyone more to the right than her standing so will do as they say in order to get back in. Her comment that she hasn’t made up her mind yet is just that wait and see who else might challenge her.
So much for Key’s constant claims hat his government is the most “transparent” ever.
As “transparent” as pretreated sewrage.
Woof woof woof.
You are all barking mad!
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