Brownlee must make locals top priority post-quake

te-pati-maori

Tue Oct 12 2010 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Brownlee must make locals top priority post-quake

Tuesday, 12 October 2010, 10:02 am
Press Release: The Maori Party

Brownlee must make locals top priority in major quake work

Maori Party MP for Te Tai Tonga Rahui Katene says the people of Otautahi must be given first priority to the jobs that will be created from major contracts to fix earthquake damaged properties in Canterbury.

"These will be state funded contracts and our local people deserve to know, before negotiations conclude on one of them this Friday, whether or not Minister Brownlee and the Earthquake Commission will be making them a top priority for work that will be created from it," Mrs Katene said.

"On the Tai Tonga electoral roll for Otautahi alone there are about 900 locals who have said they have a trade so we definitely have a wealth of skills already here.

"The boss of the commission has said the companies shortlisted to project manage the building work 'are well known in New Zealand, understand the Canterbury region and have a strong track record in project delivery.' What the people of Otautahi need to know is whether there will be a place for them on the jobs list.

"I do not want to be looking at increased unemployment rates for our city next year, especially when there are more than 5000 locals looking for work and billions of dollars worth of work being created in our backyard.

"Mrs Katene believed that utilising the local workforce would be a more cost effective option, especially after transport and accommodation costs had been factored in.

"We must look really hard within before we look out and I also urge our city's Mayor and councillors to do exactly that with the ratepayer-funded contracts they are yet to disburse."

Fletcher Construction and a consortium consisting of BECA, Arrow International and OPUS International Consultants were recently announced by the Earthquake Commission as those who had been shortlisted for the project management contract.

ENDS

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