Comments on: The Press on CCC

By: pq

pq — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:07:37 +0000

we have been trying to get rid of Marryat for over a year now, any ideas

By: V

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 11:32:18 +0000

CCDU, even sounds soviet era. What is their moto? “Rebuilding, because we can’t trust the citizenry”.

The issue was destined to be a failure the second the narrative of “the rebuild” took hold, as if it’s a single collective event. Reality is building/land owners needed to individually assess their situation and then look at reinvestment. Instead we have govt. quangos deciding the fate of businesses.

Look at this disgrace:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/7937671/Quake-hit-Bicycle-Thief-to-be-demolished

By: GPT1

GPT1 — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 01:11:50 +0000

Bob Parker is an egotist presiding over a council that ranges from the barely competent to the outright unbalanced. His woe as me tirades reported in The Press from his self adulatory re-election ramblings masquerading as a biography simply underline his arrogance. How dare people from Wellington steal HIS press coverage from HIS Earthquake.

The entire local body system needs to be looked at. It is little wonder that a council, in effect a directly elected cabinet, cannot operate with any degree of efficiency at the best of times let alone post a major disaster.

Sadly the Peter Townsends et al with actual ability know that the system is set up for failure and stay out of it.

By: Viking2

Viking2 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 23:31:01 +0000

Actually, it is probably a timely thing to do. After all the CEO is responsible for the staff and the budgets. He is also responsible for the health and saftey of the staff and for sure many of them have worked their little butts off and also been personally affected by the whole earthquake thing.

For once I can agree with this and all you moaning lefties and their little helpers like flipper should go and work in that situation before you rant on.

By: hinamanu

hinamanu — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:40:16 +0000

“The fact the CEO thinks he can grant an extra 12 days paid leave to all Council staff without even informing the Mayor and Council of his intentions in advance, shows that there is still a fairly high degree of dysfunctionality.”

It’s called conspiracy

By: flipper

flipper — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:38:29 +0000

Well, RRM, one supposes a light-weight (in the context of RRM’s comment that would defintely apply! ), pussy cat and former TV presenter with no executive or administrative power, could and would do a better job.

By: RRM

RRM — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:31:36 +0000

Yes the rebuild is “too big” and “too important” for the Christchurch council –

This job calls for a failed carpenter and sometime woodwork teacher from Rangiora!

And what flipper said, seconded… although the “corporatization” of the public service is hardly a new thing that the last Labour Govt invented… Crown Health Enterprise, anyone?

By: backster

backster — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:26:53 +0000

Flipper……Well said

By: flipper

flipper — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:11:25 +0000

The Marryatt decision is a wonderful example of how Local Government officialdom has out-manoeuvred the public. All this dates back to 2002 when the Labour Government accepted NZLGA pleas and took the so-called “corporate model” to a ridiculous extreme.
There is no possibility whatsoever of any private sector C.E.O. taking to him or herself the power to grant an extra 12 days paid leave to all staff without gaining the prior approval of the Board. Talk of telling them beforehand is a smokescreen devised hide how screwed up Local Government administration has become.
This is a classic example of Local Government legislative disfunctionality. The public believes it/they elect a Mayor and Councillors to run their town/city. Rubbish. And what a bloody waste of time and money. Given that the Council C.E.O. has all the “power” , why bother with the electoral bullshit? And all this talk of local democracy is worse than bullshit. It is out-right deceit.
Solution:
1. Rewrite the local Government legislation now before parliament to place ALL responsibility on those elected to govern.
2. Fire Marryatt and all C.E.O.’ s (et al),
3. Rename C.E.Os. as Chief Clerks, and pay them accordingly.
No ifs, No buts. Just do it.

By: barry

barry — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:04:15 +0000

the ‘rebuild’ of Christchurch is far too importantb to leave to the CCC.

For a start there seems to be a thread of insanity in Christchurch.
They want some (anyone but them) to spend 100 million rebuilding the Cathedral (which will fall down in the next earthquake – its a property of rigid buildings that they do this….) and the rsidents of Latimer Courts spent all they had and then had to get out (didnt they know that rigid buildings tend to break up in earthquakes) and they still weant to ‘save’ an unsavable structure.

Im reminded of the Peter Ellis case whenever someone in Chch comes out with another “we must save it” plea. There seems to be a lack of at least two things:
1. A realisation that the earthquakes – as bad as they were – are actually an opportunity to plan for the future (and not the past)
2. There seems to be a stubborn disbelief in the realities of physics and the rules of nature.

By: orewa1

orewa1 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:01:29 +0000

Marryatt has seriously lost the plot. Possibly the most bizarre action ever taken unilaterally by a local government official. He has to go.

By: marcw

marcw — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 20:46:08 +0000

It may turn out to be Marryatt’s final decree, as his unilateral disposal of $4 – 5million cost of ratepayer funds without keeping Councillors informed breached the agreement they had pledged earlier to keep things improving. Leopards and spots come to mind. And I don’t agree with the editorial that the bickering earlier was “just” a trivial row about $68,000 salary increase – it was about the whole concept of the Council and CEO + Bob faction not communicating. The salary was just a symptom of the broken system.

Next November, it is likely that Bob will either not stand again for Mayor (will find other “opportunities” to pursue) or if he does, will be handed his arse on the ballot and shown the door. Marryatt will follow at the next CEO review occasion.