Call for mid-term council election
KAMALA HAYMAN, RACHEL YOUNG, CHARLEY MANN AND SAM SACHDEVA
Thousands of disgruntled people turned out to protest the performance of the Christchurch City Council.
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A letter calling for a mid-term Christchurch City Council election, written by two key anti-council protesters, has been delivered to the beleaguered body.
The Wider Earthquake Communities Action Network chairman, the Rev Mike Coleman, and protest organiser Peter Lynch's letter also calls for greater transparency.
They announced they were delivering the letter, which is addressed to Local Government Minister Nick Smith, at today's protest outside the council's Hereford St offices.
About 4000 protesters spent about an hour rallying from about noon to just after 1pm.
"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."
"If they do not listen to us, we will call another demo and there will be protests and there will be a rates revolt."
He read the letter to the crowd.
The letter criticises the fact that only three people on the council were able to sign off building consents, highlighting the Selwyn and Waimakariri district councils, which it said were building five times the number if homes per capita.
It called for the mid-term election so the city could move into recovery.
The protest was organised by the No Pay Rise For Tony Marryatt group, which was formed after the council announced a $68,000 salary increase for its chief executive.
Organisers decided to continue with the protest after Marryatt last week said he had turned down the pay rise, saying the issue had been the "catalyst" for broader concerns about the council.
'OUT, OUT, OUT'
Lynch asked the crowd if they wanted Marryatt replaced.
The crowd responded with a loud chant of "out, out, out".
He then asked if they, as ratepayers, wanted a mid-term election, which was also met with loud cheers.
"Fundamental changes" were needed and "we can't wait until 2013", Lynch 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 the 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.
COUNCIL 'OUTRAGES' AND 'UPSETS'
Protester Margaret Meehan, 41, said she would go along with a rates revolt, but believed it would not get that far.
The government worker, who attended with three of her colleagues, hoped Parker and Marryatt would resign.
She said she did not want an early election as the rest of the councillors were doing a good job.
She said too many people had voted for the "glossy face of Bob Parker" after the earthquakes.
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."
The 60-something-year-old wanted to see the end of "the Bob and Tony show".
A former council worker who asked not to be named was disgusted with how much the council had changed since she had left.
She hoped Parker and Marryatt would resign.
Gary Graham, 61, stood at the entrance to the council offices with a sign saying "Sack Marryatt, no Parker".
The sound engineer said only the two needed to go.
"There's a few good guys in there ... They have just been nobbled by Marryatt and Parker."
He wanted "intelligent leadership".
"We have a couple of dumb folks and we need some intelligent people in there now."
THE CROWD BUILDS UP
More than 1000 people set up on a vacant section of land next to the Hereford St civic offices for the protest, which begins at noon.
Traffic was jammed in the area surrounding the council offices, with police closing the street to traffic.
The protesters ranged in age and many were carrying signs.
Councillors Aaron Keown, Yani Johanson and Tim Carter were present and spoke to people in the crowd.
Christchurch MPs were also present.
BID FOR CHANGE
Organisers decided to continue with the protest after Marryatt last week said he had turned down the pay rise, saying the issue had been the "catalyst" for broader concerns about the council.
Lynch was happy with preparations for the demonstration.
"It's all coming together really well, and we've had phenomenal support from the community," he said, adding: "We've got to get the message over to the Government that we need action, and we need it soon."
Marryatt's decision to stop receiving the pay rise and the appointment of a Crown observer to monitor the council was not enough to quell residents' anger, Lynch said.
"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?"
Protesters wanted Marryatt to be removed from office "without any golden parachute", and believed new council elections should be held as soon as possible.
Lynch said the owner of the former St Elmo Courts building, next to the civic offices, had given the protesters permission to gather on the vacant site during the demonstration.
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".
Before the rally, council corporate support unit manager Sue Chappell said the civic offices would be "open for business as usual" during the protest.
The council was taking a cautious approach to the protest and was taking measures to ensure the safety of staff, elected members and the public, she said.
The council was talking to police and would put "some extra security measures" in place for the duration of the event, she said.
Council human resources general manager Chris Till said council staff could only take part in their own time, "and in a purely personal capacity only".
Police Senior Sergeant Gordon Spite said: "We'll have some staff there, but we're not anticipating any problems."
- © Fairfax NZ News
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It time not just for change in leadership, but a change in leadership approach. No more rate payer funs for overseas junkets such as to wine / sandcastle / entertainment conferences, or council owned companies paying for the mayors wife to holiday in Asia. Reduce the council mgmt.
Nelly is very silent on this. She been told to keep her comments to herself?
Bob parkers wife should be paying her own air fare and have her own money to support herself while on the trip.
Another free loader?
Can we please have some common sense! We don't have the time or money for this. The council is a democraticly elected body the Business of the council is as an infrastructure company and the staff have done a great job getting the city back up and keeping it going in extremely difficult circumstances. There is not a council in the world who has ever faced this situation. How about a few bouquets instead of bricks! and lets get on and get our city back up and running and isn't CERA in charge? When's the protest happening at EQC offices and the Insurance Companies by the way?
EYEWITNESS# Thanks for the comments about the City Council Staff minions - we have worked so hard for people like you, we also live here, have broken homes, have lost loved ones. How dare you comment on staff looking like monkeys in jail - at least we are working for this city, not wanting to waste millions of dollars choosing new councillors -not to mention the time it will take - who would even want the job, people like you are never happy, you only hear one side of the story, be very careful what you wish for! Attitudes like yours are sickening to me, if we all walked away and stood moaning when the going got tough, nothing would get done at all, then you'd have something to moan about -
Why were councillors kept in the dark about Parker & his wife’s trip to Asia when according to a Press report # - Airport chief executive Jim Boult said the airport had invited Parker and his wife to take part in the 15-day tour last year, after planning started in mid-2011? And why have Councillors been told not to comment to the media about the trip and specifically when they were first advised about it by the Mayor?
According to the Press report, Parker & his wife’s presence will help the airport to "get in some doors that they would otherwise find difficult to get through".
So if Parkers role is so critically important to the success of the trip, why the secrecy and why did he not consider it appropriate to inform both his fellow councillors and the public last year last year when he accepted the invitation to go?
# http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/6344438/Timing-not-ideal-for-mayors-tour-of-Asia
The mayor and the entire council need the boot and the CEO needs to be fired. Then we can start again and for God's sake this time don't vote for clapped out media hacks, or lame inexperienced flakes.
Hmmm. Think some people are missing the point. Mid-term elections don't necessarily mean anyone 'gets sacked'. It means the people will have a chance to put in office - or put back in office - those they believe will best do the job of rebuilding the city. Those who have the trust/faith of the city's residents have nothing to worry about. Isn't that the way it should be?
You lot are embarrassing. Youll oust these guys you don't like... Then who's next? I really don't think youve thought it through and you're acting like school kids who just want to see some drama. Protest the right way and don't vote for them if you don't like it. The earthquakes won't drive us out.... The embarrassment of you eggs will.
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Oh dear I am sorry you are offended but you should know that your esteemed colleagues at CCC thumbed their noses and made faces at the people who chose to attend the protest in Christchurch on Wednesday they stood at the windows gawping and gesturing at us just like primates - no one is questioning that the majority of council staff do their jobs as they are directed - what we question is the quality of that management and the insane greed and waste directly attributable to Marryatt and Parker. I am sure that the council would be a much happier place to work with good strong management and a lot less waste and incompetence. If you are a ratepayer you must surely want better services for the dollars paid? So how about that Felicity Price survey another $80K gone down the gurgler for council staff to find out what the public thinks of them... let's keep it real and factual and not wander off to promote how much you as a council staffer have done for the city.