Angry residents call for early council election

SAM SACHDEVA

A letter calling for a mid-term Christchurch City Council election, written by two anti-council protesters, is to be delivered to the beleaguered body.

About 4000 people turned out to a lunch time demonstration against the council's $68,000 salary increase for its chief executive Tony Marryatt. Organisers decided to continue with the protest after Marryatt said last week that he had turned down the pay rise, saying the issue had been the "catalyst" for broader concerns about the council.

Wider Earthquake Communities Action Network chairman Rev Mike Coleman and protest organiser Peter Lynch's letter also calls for greater transparency.

The men announced they were delivering the letter, which is addressed to Local Government Minister Nick Smith, at today's protest outside the council's civic offices in Hereford St.

"The city council was as dysfunctional before the earthquake as it is now," Coleman told the crowd.

"We need to move on for the sake of this city ... or people will move on.

Earlier, Lynch said Marryatt's decision to stop receiving the pay rise and the appointment of Crown observer Kerry Marshall to monitor the council was not enough to quell residents' anger.

"The Crown observer is just a Band-Aid over a cut that won't heal and the fact that Marryatt decided to keep part of the money ... who's running who?"

"Kerry Marshall is an observer. That means sitting in meetings having a coffee."

Protests would continue until there was an election, he said.

The event was organised by the No Pay Rise For Tony Marryatt group.

Police estimated about 4000 protesters attended the noon to 1pm rally.

There were calls for a rates revolt, as well as the mid-term election request.

When Lynch asked the crowd if they wanted Marryatt replaced they responded with a loud chant of "out, out, out".

"Fundamental changes" were needed and "we can't wait until 2013", he said.

"We are demanding an urgent change ... We need to find a new mayor and councillors."

Protesters were "demanding our democracy back".

Coleman told the crowd they were there "to stand up and be counted and call for the council to be accounted for".

He acknowledged Parker did an extremely good job during and after the earthquakes. However, they needed more than a PR leader, he said

Coleman called for Marryatt and Mayor Bob Parker to resign, which prompted cheers from the crowd.

The cheers turned to booing and calls of "resign, resign, resign" and "out, out, out" when Coleman mentioned the communication problems at the council.

Councillors were getting more information from local media than from Parker or Marryatt, Coleman said.

An elderly resident, Robert, told the crowd "we need true leadership, trust, respect, accountability".

"What this city needs right now is inspired and true leadership. To unify and not divide. Leaders who can cross any political divide. Leaders who have the confidence of the people. Parker and Marryatt had their chance and they failed," he said, to cheers from the crowd.

Richard Bridson, 59, took the day off work to attend the protest.

The Christchurch engineer said he was "outraged" at Marryatt's salary, the council's spending and the lack of leadership.

He arrived ready to protest at 11am, complete with a sign saying "Newsflash: parasite found in council chambers".

Meanwhile, Norman Drexel held an anti-council sign with his wife and grandson.

The business owner said it was obvious the council was dysfunctional.

The council all needed to go, he said.

Semi-retired teacher Louette McInnes said Marryatt's pay rise was "the icing on the cake".

"I was upset when they did a number of things."

Meanwhile, a former council worker who asked not to be named was disgusted with how much the council had changed since she left.

She hoped Parker and Marryatt would resign.

Earlier, Mayor Bob Parker said the protest was "the nature of democracy".

"It is entirely within people's rights to do that."

He had no plans to address protesters, saying they had made their views "very clear".

- © Fairfax NZ News