12. BRENDON BURNS (Labour—Christchurch Central) Link to this
to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
Does he stand by all of his statements on Canterbury’s earthquake recovery?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery) Link to this
Yes, but as the member will note, I have had to reconsider my position on several occasions as the seismic events of the last 13 months have unfolded.
Having told the Press that the Government saw no need to install commissioners into the Christchurch City Council “at this time”, will he now confirm that the Government is in fact discussing such an option for implementation after the 26 November election?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I cannot speak for what the Government after 26 November will be doing.
Mr SPEAKERWill the Minister confirm that among the reasons the Government is ruling out commissioners only “at this time” is that he knows that Christchurch City councillors will fight tooth and nail against the Government’s agenda to force the council, as the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority legislation allows, to sell Christchurch’s $2 billion - plus in public assets to help pay for Christchurch’s earthquake recovery?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I have responsibility neither for the next Government nor for the Christchurch City Council.
Is the Minister aware of comments made to the Timaru Herald recently by his colleague Dr Nick Smith, who “stopped short of saying ECan would eventually return to having an elected council”, and can the Minister identify a democratically elected council in Canterbury that is not under threat from this Government if re-elected?
I seek to table research conducted for me by the Parliamentary Library that shows that Orion New Zealand, owned mostly by the ratepayers of Christchurch, has returned to those ratepayers since 1993 some $976 million in dividends and other payments.