With just two months before we elect a mayor and councillors it would be a travesty of democracy were the current mayor and council to sign off a new cost-sharing agreement with the government.
And yet this seems to be underway with secret negotiations behind closed doors last week with an end date of mid-August for agreement.
It appears Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee wants to pressure the out-going council to sign-off on a new agreement stacked with government priorities for spending of ratepayer money.
Brownlee did the same thing in the dying days of the previous council under Bob Parker.
That left the city with huge bills for the so-called anchor projects (which are a government priority rather than a Christchurch priority) and a timeline which ensured many on council would adopt a Brownlee-inspired asset sale programme.
Christchurch has suffered enough body blows to its local democracy in recent years without the mayor and council signing off on this latest outrage.
Mayor Dalziel quite rightly heavily criticised the previous council for doing deals with the government behind closed doors to hobble an incoming council. Now it appears she has allowed herself to become trapped in the same position.
These negotiations must be put on hold till a new council has got its feet under the table.
NOTE: It’s worth remembering the government of the day paid the entire bill for the 1931 Napier City rebuild when it wrote off the council’s government loans in 1938. Prime Minister John Key said the government would pay “whatever it takes” to rebuild Christchurch – we should insist he keeps his word.
The Tories are probably seeking any excuse to replace the CCC with an appointed body, as it has already done with Environment Canterbury and the Southern District Health Board. In Dunedin, we’d like to have government aid in preventing the inundation of our flat southern suburbs, but it might mean the end of the democratically-elected DCC.
That said, keep on fighting the good fight, ex-Dunedin brother!
Sabotaging the future via squandering of resources, increased debt levels and ruination of the environment is both National policy and national policy. There’s no stopping it because National are acting as agents for international money-lenders, corporations and opportunists, and have almost complete control of the media.
It will be interesting to see to what extent the coming local government elections are rigged -they always are (and whether the money-lenders and corporations succeed in getting Hi-Liar installed in the White House).
“(and whether the money-lenders and corporations succeed in getting Hi-Liar installed in the White House)”
Awww… another Jill Stein supporter. I thought I was alone.
“With just two months before we elect a mayor and councillors it would be a travesty of democracy were the current mayor and council to sign off a new cost-sharing agreement with the government.
But John, this Government is blackmailing the current Local Governments everywhere to sign that toxic agreement~~~~~~
So get the opposition Parties to warn they will stop it next year as they take Government over and place shit on hold.
If they warn that upon becoming to Government they will reverse this plan this criminal government has of stealing of local Government taxpayers assets that they paid for over generations past the bloody carpetbaggers and criminals.
Could it be that ex-MPs don’t transition well to being local body representatives? They do seem to favour their old ways and allegiances, whether from the Left or the Right.
Paul Swain does pretty well as a regional councillor. I’m glad he knew where he best fits. And a few Wairarapa mayors, perhaps.
But the Urge to Run a City (as second prize for not being PM or something) – they do need to stay away from The Power and the Trough. We simply can’t afford the setbacks and unnecessary debt. Nor those old associations that don’t serve the rest of us.
” insist that John Key keeps his word ” – isn’t that about as FUTILE as trying to push shit uphill ?
All the best to you John. Christchurch deserves an ethical and honest person working with the people instead of being bought by the greedy corporations and crooked lobbyists and criminal attorneys.
I’ve always thought it appalling that Christchurch City Council is expected to pay about half the cost of the earthquake rebuild. The government should be paying all of it, just like it did after the Hawkes Bay earthquake. The Green Party had a good suggestion which was a short term tax on all New Zealanders for the rebuild.
Insurance companies have collected premiums for over a century out of Christchurch. An enormous booty collected with a promise to compensate if shit hits the Fan. It has leaving individuals having to fight the Insurers who have routinely recapitulated with a summary of short changing the insured in every way conceivable and been tacitly backed by our Govt.
Then the tycoons raise premiums all over the country to bolster profits and the Govt lets that happen. A cartel acting as a monopoly knowing the Govt will not intervene. We are all held to ransom.
The Govt collection of “earthquake” premiums is tied to purchasing private insurance. The Insurance industry has the bonus of Govt forcing people to pay these parasite or the Govt fund will not assist you.
Fletchers is another example of a anointed transnational fox in the local chicken pen. There is big money to be extracted from disaster and they will be the major beneficiary. The public loose all ways, both locally and nationally.
The links between members of Govt. and the investor state tell it all.
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