The Government is still intent on trying to control Christchurch’s future from the Beehive, Green Party Christchurch spokesperson Eugenie Sage said today. The Green Party today responded to the announcement of new power structures for Canterbury’s recovery from the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
The Government is still intent on trying to control Christchurch’s future from the Beehive, Green Party Christchurch spokesperson Eugenie Sage said today.
The Green Party today responded to the announcement of new power structures for Canterbury’s recovery from the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. A new entity named Regenerate Christchurch will help take over the management of the city's rebuild from the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA). This will involve new legislation called the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill, proposed to run for another five years from April 2016.
“Inventing a new entity called Regenerate Christchurch and giving it some of CERA’s powers continues to suppress the democratic decision making role of the Christchurch City Council,” said Ms Sage.
“It also risks duplicating and cutting across the work of the City Council’s proposed new urban development authority.
“Continuing key powers in the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) legislation beyond April 2016 through this new agency will allow Government to continue to dominate decision making.
“The Christchurch City Council has signed off its long term plan and budget for the next 10 years. It needs to be given back its powers to co-ordinate and plan the city’s future.
“The post ‘quake emergency is long gone yet the Government continues to seek to justify its meddling so it can impose super-sized and unaffordable anchor projects like the stadium and the convention centre on the city.
“It is time for the National Government to trust the people of Christchurch to make decisions for themselves about the future rebuild of their city,” Ms Sage said.
