Brownlee must extend red zone deadline

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed Mar 27 2013 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Brownlee must extend red zone deadline

Wednesday, 27 March 2013, 4:14 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Lianne
DALZIEL
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Spokesperson
27 March 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Brownlee must extend red zone deadline

Gerry Brownlee’s refusal to extend the residential red zone deadline could send some Cantabrians to financial ruin, Labour’s Canterbury Earthquake Recovery spokesperson Lianne Dalziel says.

“Despite the Government’s painfully low offer of 50 per cent of RV being investigated by the Human Rights Commission, the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman, as well as being the subject of court proceedings and Select Committee petitions, Gerry Brownlee refuses to move the deadline from next Tuesday.

“A simple deadline extension is not too much to ask, when Cantabrians have so much to deal with. But Gerry Brownlee is unmoved by the reality that many of these people are facing financial ruin for heartbreaking reasons. He simply falls back on the mantra that this is a voluntary offer.

“It isn’t voluntary when the threat is made that the Government will compulsorily acquire the property for its value at the time of purchase some time in the future.

“For some it’s a lose-lose as it is for Bryan Ellis who has owned the Bexley Garage, which is still operating, for 47 years and who faces a loss of $265,000 on his land RV if he accepts the 50% offer.

“I have been taking my van to Bryan’s son Glenn at the Bexley Garage ever since I got it.

“They are hard-working Kiwis, who have contributed much to their community. I first met Bryan through his work as a volunteer firefighter at the New Brighton Volunteer Fire Brigade.

“It is not too late for the Minister to reconsider and I hope he will reflect on who is actually impacted by this intransigence. Unlike many of these people he has nothing to lose.”

ENDS

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