Cosgrove: We’ll give bureaucrats a go
new-zealand-labour-party
Tue Mar 29 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Cosgrove: We’ll give bureaucrats a go
Tuesday, 29 March 2011, 11:58 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Clayton COSGROVE
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Spokesperson
MP for Waimakariri
29 March 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT
Cosgrove: We’ll give bureaucrats a go, but we’re really worried for Canterbury people
Labour’s Canterbury Earthquake Recovery spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove says Labour “will give the new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) a go,” but still has fears about whether the Government has listened to Canterbury people or will do so in the future.
Prime Minister John Key and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee made announcements about CERA today, including the temporary appointment of John Ombler, a Wellington bureaucrat of 34 years, as acting Chief Executive.
“We will give CERA a go, but Canterbury people will remember John Key’s promises that no one in Canterbury will be worse off, and that Canterbury will be rebuilt quickly and better than before,” Clayton Cosgrove said. “We will hold John Key to those promises.
“National won’t be able to blame the bureaucrats if it all goes wrong. That won’t cut it with the people of Canterbury.
“I have raised concerns about a number of issues in recent weeks --- including the unauthorised demolition of buildings, which Gerry Brownlee and Civil Defence Minister John Carter incorrectly denied was happening, reasonable access for businesses to the CBD, and the need for genuine consultation on the new authority --- but the Government has gone its own way on each occasion.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
“Labour will continue to report on what it sees happening in Canterbury, and to make positive recommendations, including during passage of the legislation setting up the new authority,” Clayton Cosgrove said.
“We are worried that the Government has not consulted widely. It says it has, but if that’s the case, it is remarkable that despite working closely with Cantabrians on the ground every day since the February quake happened, I have still found no one who has been consulted.
“I have had two loose meetings myself with Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee. The first concerned his own thoughts on what should happen, with little chance to say anything, and the second consisted of him displaying his flow chart. I don’t call that consultation.
“My fear remains that the new authority will unleash hundreds of Wellington bureaucrats with clipboards and pens tripping over their own red tape as they seek to impose their solutions on Canterbury people who already know what has to be done,” Clayton Cosgrove said.
“The last thing Canterbury people need is more bureaucrats stifling innovative ideas about the rebuild. Canterbury’s local authorities can’t do it on their own without support, but Canterbury people are entitled to say what sort of city and province they want. The Government has not listened to Canterbury people for the past six months, but they are the ones who know what needs to be done.
“No one from the Government has gone out to Canterbury people and asked them what sort of city they want, what plans do they want, and what their needs and ambitions are for the future,” Clayton Cosgrove said. “That’s the approach the Waimakariri District Council has taken, without a load of bureaucrats and a lot of red tape, and it’s working there. The Government could have learned from that.
“Gerry Brownlee has taken a contrasting approach. He is saying in effect that he knows best --- that this is my highway, and you will drive down it. He’s promising consultation and forums now that the basic decisions have been made. We will wait and see, but I have little confidence that he means it, and that he will pay anything more than lip service to consultation in the future either.”
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from New Zealand Labour Party on InfoPages.