2012-11-01 hon brownlee follow up from cross party forum
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7/29/2019 2012-11-01 HON BROWNLEE Follow Up From Cross Party Forum
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Wellington: T 04 817 8209 | F 04 817 6437| Private Bag 18 888, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6011 | [email protected]: T 03 382 0288 | F 03 382 0275 | PO Box 18898, New Brighton, Christchurch 8641 | [email protected] |
Authorised by Lianne Dalziel, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6011
1 November 2012
Hon Gerry BrownleeMinister for Canterbury Earthquake RecoveryParliament BuildingsWellington
Dear Minister
I am writing on behalf of the Labour members of the Cross Party Forum.
We suggested at the last meeting that written action points and matters underconsideration be circulated after each meeting. The reason is that it is hard to keepa track of issues when there has been no specific follow up. Many of these issuesshould not have to wait until the next meeting for an answer, and, as was evidencedat the last meeting, a misunderstanding as to what was sought (e.g. the investmentpresentation), can delay matters even further.
There are some items from the last meeting and others from an earlier meeting thatwe are anxious about.
Meeting with Hon Hekia Parata to discuss the education announcementsThe community consultation meetings we have attended have been enormouslydistressing for people, with Ministry officials unable to explain how the high levelconsultation on the draft education recovery plan, became a set of firm proposalsthat involved the closure or merger of their school with no consultation whatsoever.No one can tell them why their school is closing or merging. I have been in touchwith the Ministers office to reinforce the importance of the Cross Party Forummeeting and she has agreed to meet. Your support for such a meeting is extremelyvaluable and we would appreciate your continued efforts in this regard.
Extension of time for people who are still living in the red zone who wont havetheir properties ready to move into by 30 AprilThe office has about 20 contacts who are seeking an extension of time. Their contactwith CERA has been unfruitful although that pre-exists your agreement to considerthe matter. My colleagues and I need to be able to let people know whether such anextension will be contemplated even on a case by case basis. People are readingthe information in the paper about the increasing difficulty in terms of rental propertyand are asking if they are exposing themselves to more risk if they wait. It really is awin-win to allow people to stay where they can. I think the government has to takesome responsibility for allowing Highfield to advertise itself at the CERA housing
expo in June last year when they hadnt even commenced the process.
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Red Zone Voluntary offer for non-residential or uninsured propertiesThis was announced on the 13th June the same day as the educationannouncements. You described the owners of the properties as not eligible for theCrowns original residential red zone offer. Given that the government set theeligibility criteria for what is described as a voluntary offer, it is within the
governments power to extend the eligibility criteria. To state that the purchase pricefor these properties will be 50% of the most recent rating valuation for the land only without any justification is unacceptable. There are reasons why people wereuninsured and the ones we have heard require compassion and understanding, notvilification, coupled with financial ruin. Why should business owners be offered onlyhalf the land value and also owners of bare sections, many of whom were planningto build at the time of the earthquakes? This really needs to be reviewed. Thecommitment to equity rings hollow, especially with the threat of compulsoryacquisition at the market value of the land at the time of purchase. We believe thatthis will end up in court and that might lead a judge to look at the whole approach thegovernment has taken to the red zone clearances. We urge you to look at it again
before that happens.
We look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely
Hon Lianne DalzielMember of Parliament for Christchurch East