Last week Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Gerry Brownlee sent me a letter in response to a blog I wrote about four of his wealthy constituents getting $595,000 each for land remediation after the September 2010 earthquake when they would have been entitled to only $20,000 each from EQC.
The original story in the Press is here.
The blog I wrote about it is here.
Mr Brownlee’s letter to me is attached to the end of this blogpost. He is offering a briefing from EQC’s senior leadership team, the Insurance Council of New Zealand and Regenerate Christchurch to let me know how they go about their business.
A cynic may say Brownlee’s letter is an attempt to bury – under a mountain of erroneous detail, confusion and diversion – what appears to be a straightforward case of corrupt practice. Is it an attempt to shift the blame from the Minister to nameless officials in government agencies?
Keep Our Assets Canterbury, for whom I’m standing as a mayoral candidate in Christchurch, is following up on the Minister’s offer.
However I am following up with questions to the Minister about the government’s gold-plated decision for Fendalton but readers may also have questions for Gerry Brownlee on this rotten deal or on other aspects of the earthquake, the rebuild or government priorities for Christchurch.
If you have questions for Gerry Brownlee please include them in the comments section below. We will collate them and send them direct to the Minister for answers.
Government corruption is rife in NZ now.
Question; – Where has the Government gone with their supposed fixing of NZ awful tarnished global reputation as a “tax haven”?
Government are out of control now.
I’ll be voting for John also.
After six years of this mess, where even the contractors digging up my street over and over again for no known or logical reason hiss corruption when you query them, I’m beyond questions.
I do wonder about the state of my and other people’s lungs after 6 years of living in a (possibly poisonous) dust bowl. My car gets covered in a sheet of dust even when in the garage within a couple of days… A demolition around the corner was found to contain asbestos so left ripped open and blowing in the wind for weeks before being removed.
We can ask all the questions we like and they can answer with as much spin as they ( Gerry et al) like but in the end they just roll on over us creating the city of their dreams but not of ours.
The old boys (and old girls) network at play, I guess.
Confuse and obfuscate where you can, and otherwise bully those daring to challenge them on details, that seems to be the approach.
the only remedy one may have is take them to court or one of our specialist tribunals, but then you will usually need some cash, legal expert advice and perseverance for years to come, facing decisions (it it goes that far), appeals, reviews, new decisions, further appeals.
Welcome to the Land of the Long White Lies, once upon a time called New Zealand Aotearoa.
Yes, here are a few questions for Browlie.
1. The Local Government Acts require councils to plan for the future and for all processes to be open and transparent. So how come the city council is not doing any planning for the REAL future -one of declining energy availability and rapid overheating of the Earth, with commensurate massive sea-level rises that will inundate much of low-lying New Zealand including a lot of Canterbury? And how come so many city and regional council processes are concealed from public scrutiny?
2. In view of the fact the global financial system is now held together by the ‘duct tape’ of historically unprecedented low interest rates, bailouts of banks, and huge injections of fiat money that constantly fail to generate the desired stimulus of mature economies, and bearing in mind that increasing numbers of nations are abandoning the US dollar as a reserve currency and as a trading currency, how long does Mr Browlie think the global financial system will last before it implodes? 6 months? 12 months? 2 years? 3 years?
3. Bearing in mind that the international insurance system is being ‘hammered’ by claims related to planetary overheating, and bearing in mind that all government policy (here and elsewhere) is geared to increasing the rate of meltdown and increasing the incidence of climate chaos events, how long does Mr Brownlie think the international insurance system will remain in operation?
4. Bearing in mind that all government policy is predicated on infinite growth on a finite planet, and bearing in mind that the Earth is finite and that conventional oil extraction peaked years ago, how long does Mr Browlie think continued growth of population and growth of economic activity will be possible in NZ?
5. What is Mr Browlie’s response to the information contained here?
http://energyskeptic.com/2016/limits-to-growth-is-on-schedule-collapse-likely-around-2020/
‘Limits to Growth is on schedule. Collapse likely around 2020’
Well done you John Minto, for exposing this issue of enormous payouts to National’s cronies.
Obviously some rogues, led by Brownlee and Co taking advantage of a disaster to make a profit, from ordinary people’s misery and hardship! Scum!
As for Brownlee’s response, if it can be called that, is a poor excuse at attempting to cover up corruption! Subtly nasty in its context!
Go John Minto for CHCH mayor. If I lived there, he’d definitely get my vote, but I’m a JAFA. Apart from Penny Bright, for whom I will be voting, the rest are nothing but a bunch of corrupt under rock dwelling regurgitated rejects!
not Tricia Cheel, she’s not corrupt 🙂
https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwin0abk-_bOAhXSQpQKHbD4B3YQFggmMAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Faotearoaawiderperspective.com%2F2011%2F12%2F07%2Fchristchurch-fletcher-and-zombie-banks-are-john-keys-masters-making-a-mint-out-of-the-christchurch-quake%2F&usg=AFQjCNHOEgSYkTw2YuULFZU94LSkjhuziQ
I just sent a comment here with many questions and it did not get posted.
Did you receive it ? If so can you please put it up. Thanks
TDB – Can you please explain to me why you chose to not include my list of questions ?
What possible reasons can you offer for not wanting to consider nor willing to look at all sides of this issue?
My list of questions are about questioning authority and delving deeper and looking at this issue beyond what the media and govt. have given us.
Did you get the list ?
If you have decided not to publish the questions, please state why.
[Blake, there was no queued post from you in any of the Folders I regularly check. Please re-submit for approval. Thank you. – ScarletMod]
Yes please do re post your questions? Before the end of next week
Question – Why SO LONG in fixing Christchurch? 5 years and counting…. Maybe the Nats like to see New Zealanders suffer.
Questions for Mr Brownlee:
Why have you closed schools in Christchurch despite considerable community opposition?
How many will be given to potential Charter Schools?
What pressure have you put on CCC to sell local community assets, to help fund “big ticket items” and other re-build work?
And lastly,
Will be there a Royal Commission of Inquiry to Review the work of EQC; Insurance Companies; CERA; CCC; and any other organisation involved in the Christchurch re-build? If not, why not?
Good on you, John.
these wankers sense of entitlement has no limits there literally helping themselves to our taxes and people who have been through hell were given the fingers .let them eat cake is just as relevant today
Three questions, please John:
1. When will senior citizens be fast-tracked for repairs and restoration?
2. How many families are still living in tents and garages and backyards?
3. What work is being done to redesign the city and suburbs to avoid the areas prone to liquifaction and disruption of infrastructure?
3.5 What’s with the focus on stadiums and other ego construction when people and businesses are still waiting for basics?
Brownlee is by far and away the most tedious, arrogant, pedantic, nasty, twisted, bullying, and, let’s not forget flatulent, flat-headed, cloth-eared, swivel-eyed, fornicating LITTLE gits I have ever had the displeasure to have set eyes upon. To now add corrupt to the list would come as no great surprise…
It’s appalling what happens when woodwork teachers get a sniff of power, isn’t it?
Question: Gerry Brownlee for once in your life be honest to the people that you in the position you are in. Why did you pay more to your friends than they should of recieved. There is evidence that shows you 7sed tax payers money to build your financial gain as well as building your so called friends bank accounts. John MI to has you by the balls. Step up to your liars and corruptness. John Minto you have my vote. Gerrymandering Brownlee I hope you loose your position.
It does seem that those with money like residents in Fendalton have the ear of this minister and other Key government ministers.
And those who do not have money like the homeless, the unemployed, the low-paid are disparaged and referred to by John Key as lazy and druggies.
Now that says alot about a government that has gone way past its Best Before date. And those like Brownlee in this government have become arrogant, rude and patronising.
Yes – when are you going to resign Browlee
I had heard that one of his family members was buying up properties in the red zone. If this is true..why and is it corruption?
I have no specific examples of corruption or favouritism to give but I seriously question this Minister’s priorities, and his commitment to the people of Christchurch, when so many citizens have suffered so much because of the machinations of the insurance industry. He COULD have been a champion of the people; instead he chose to focus only on his beloved ‘anchor projects’, that will largely benefit only his business mates. I used to work with Gerry and my opinion of his commitment, student-focus, and professionalism as a teacher was low; I doubt that much has changed.
So he was a crap teacher, as well as a crap MP? Colour me surprised.
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Yes; Mr Brownlee, Can we use Social Credit, or Positive Money from the NZ Monetary Authority instead of borrowing money from the private banking sector or taking money from taxes to fund the CHCH rebuild like we did in the 1930’s to fund NZ out of the “great” depression? If not, why not?
Brownlee should be tried for treason his red zoning was deemed by the supreme court as illegal and corrupt ask him why he red zoned Brooklands and don’t take infrastructure as a answer he knows that is b/s this man is a land thief first class.
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