Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 161
new-zealand-labour-party
Wed Dec 14 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 161
Wednesday, 14 December 2011, 12:53 pm
Column: New Zealand Labour Party
Christchurch Labour MPs
14 December 2011
Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 161
A regular bulletin started by the Labour Party’s Christchurch team to keep people in their electorates and media informed about what is happening at grass roots level.
The election of David Shearer as the Labour Party’s new leader bodes well for Christchurch. He brings with him a wealth of experience in disaster recovery and is fully aware of the ongoing challenges the city is facing. During a visit to the eastern suburbs after the February quake David attended the first Recover our Communities meeting that Lianne Dalziel and former city councillor Chrissie Williams hosted and endorsed the approach they had adopted.
Speaking to the assembled group of the community leaders he talked about how impressed he was with our own community response to recovery. His was a reassuring voice at a very difficult time and we know he is going to provide strong leadership to support us on the ground. The meeting was held to empower residents to play a role in the recovery post-February.
Lessons from Hurricane Katrina and other similar disasters were a warning that recovery can be very complex We know solutions need careful planning; they are never a ‘one-size-fits-all’. But while recovery is always challenging, it also presents real opportunities for restoration and renewal; it isn’t just a ‘rebuilding project’.
Given that decisions made by the Government will impact on our communities for decades to come, we have said from the outset that residents must be fully engaged if recovery is to be successful.
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And that means involving local people in joint learning and public decision-making, capitalising on local culture and knowledge, mobilising local capacity to rebuild, enabling local communities to make choices that build safer, more sustainable communities and securing the things that are good for the community, and discarding those that hold us back.
Today we want to welcome David Shearer and a fresh start for Labour. Our own team in Canterbury has also changed shape and we wish former Labour MP for Christchurch Central, Brendon Burns our fondest farewell. At the same time we welcome new Labour MPs Megan Woods (Wigram) and Rino Tirikatene (Te Tai Tonga) to the team. While former MP for Waimakariri Clayton Cosgrove will not be working with us as an electorate MP we look forward to his ongoing support, experience and contributions in the months ahead.
It makes sense that this be the last nationwide bulletin for 2011. We will all continue our local communications and look forward to the year ahead.
ENDS
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