Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Nobody wanted #EQNZ for Christmas

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  • Sacha,

    From that article - which is the sort of link I was asking for, thanks - here's the man's interpretation of working tirelessly.

    ...Marryatt's golfing records on the golf.co.nz website, which show he played two rounds of weekend golf at Clearwater in the nine weeks after the February 2011 quake – on April 2 and in a stableford competition on April 9.

    His round on April 2 was played on the same day it was reported that council staff were fighting to prevent the city's sewerage system collapsing, blanketing the city in an "almighty stink".

    Marryatt said yesterday that he had worked nine weekends straight, attending community meetings and Civil Defence briefings, but this did not mean he had worked full days.

    "I didn't take a weekend off, which doesn't mean I was working 10 hours for each day," he said.

    "I did go play some golf. I just needed to clear my head."

    Must have been a stressful year.

    Records show Marryatt played 25 rounds of golf last year, mostly at Clearwater and in Hamilton, seven more than in the previous year.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    Of course it’s a measure of how rattled Marryatt’s minders are that he’s been driven to front the media. His insensitivity isn’t surprising, but his ineptitude is. Instead of claiming golf outings as a means of networking and a valid part of running the city’s affairs, he lamely offers the need to ‘clear his head’.

    It’s particularly risible when he prattles of having a ‘philosophy’ of accepting a ‘market’ rate of remuneration. He implies that it’s this same ‘philosophy’ that prevents him from so much as considering donating his salary increase to charity. And it’s this avowed moral bankruptcy that’s appeared to mesmerise his apologists into treating him as some kind of cult figure.

    Here’s Marryatt in better days accepting a donation for the Mayoral Fund. One can only imagine his contempt for those who see $10,000 as a “massive” sum, and are daft enough to place it in his paws.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    The actions of Mayor Bob and his posse in suppressing the unfavourable eqnz review until after Marryatt's payrise are interesting. Still, it's not them who will be turfed out by the govt as many naive correspondents are calling for.

    Great comment #21 by our Mr Dalziel

    Marryatt's new creed seems to be "Keep calumny and carrion"

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I hope someone got the screenshot!

    Google Cache doesn't lie.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Sacha,

    Bunker mentality...

    Not defending Marryatt but it's likely 'par for the course' for deal-making executives, like cocktail parties are.

    in the business world, yes..
    in the city-running world
    not so much, I'd hope...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Google Cache doesn’t lie.

    ...in cyberspace no one can hear you scream!
    nice work, that man (er person)!

    as an aside that is quite scary...
    just how big is this this cache?
    where is it?
    and how is it powered?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    You're a bloody marvel DR :-)

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    North Korea's former Dear Leader could get a hole-in-one in every game of golf he played; I guess Tony Marryatt is training up.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Sacha,

    our Mr Dalziel:
    “Keep calumny and carrion”

    Someone give that man a pony.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Lilith __,

    That pdf contains this link for further info on Geonet but it looks like the public isn’t allowed to see it!

    I suspect that's a screw up rather than a conspiracy.

    Try http://www.geonet.org.nz/canterbury-quakes/aftershocks/all-about-step-map.html

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    just how big is this this cache?
    where is it?
    and how is it powered?

    Yes. ;-)

    The cache is held (generally) until the next time Google spiders the site, when it will be replaced by the current index entry. You can’t go back forever on it. It’s everywhere that Google servers are – just another distributed database as far as they’re concerned. IIRC the advanced Googlascenti used to be able to specify which server to query for particular dates, but the big G has tidied that up in recent years.

    If you want really old stuff on a website, the Wayback Machine on the Web Archive awaits you…

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to nzlemming,

    Thanks, lemming. I never thought it was a conspiracy, I’m just puzzled that Geonet hasn’t (yet) gathered together on their website all the stuff they’ve been showing around. I’m sure they’ve got lots to do, but if it’s ready enough to show the politicians and media, surely it'd be the work of a moment to put it on their own website.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    in the business world, yes..
    in the city-running world
    not so much, I'd hope

    Council CEOs engage with corporate stakeholders as well.
    Like Hendo..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Sometimes the Onion is just spot on.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Sacha,

    The messing links…

    …corporate stakeholders as well. Like Hendo…

    Does it count if the stake is held through their heart…

    Transparency doesn’t mean dealing with folk
    that don’t show up in mirrors…

    …and unfortunately we were corporately holding
    Henderson’s stake, so to speak - still are –
    council never insured one of the buildings
    (Para Rubber) fell over, so that’s gone now
    expensive piece of council land that…
    (dunno what happened to Wells Street buildings
    - where Hendo had stored his Russian jet fighter…)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to nzlemming,

    If you want really old stuff on a website, the Wayback Machine on the Web Archive awaits you…

    Here's just one little gem.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Caleb D'Anvers, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    It sounds like some local journalists may need to make a few Official Information Act requests. [Consults records manager in household.] 1. What is the council's policy on pay rises? What criteria does an employee need to meet to obtain one? Did the Council follow due process? Is the process itself robust? 2. What is the Council's policy on core working hours? Did the CEO sign any agreements relating to internet use at work (is golf.co.nz an appropriate use of staff time?) Is there any information on what the CEO's agreed working hours actually are?

    The results might be interesting.

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Caleb D'Anvers,

    Did the CEO sign any agreements relating to internet use at work

    Glass. Houses. Stones. Throwing.

    (for most of us, at any rate)

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Caleb D'Anvers,

    What is the council’s policy on pay rises?

    I think we have to remember that Maryatt's pay was negotiated and arranged by the Council. I don't think he should have accepted the raise, but AFAIK he fulfilled the agreed conditions and so was contractually entitled to it. So we should be demanding accountability from Council as well as from Maryatt. Who set his salary, and who approved the raise?

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Lilith __,

    So we should be demanding accountability from Council as well as from Maryatt. Who set his salary, and who approved the raise?

    You're right, that's the far more pertinent point. Maryatt may well be a pig with his nose in the public trough, but the people filling that trough are the ones responsible for how fat the pig gets.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey, in reply to Caleb D'Anvers,

    What is the council’s policy on pay rises?

    Wearing my elected rep hat:

    Council, that is, a body of elected representatives, can, by law, only have one employee, which is the CEO.

    In turn, the CEO employs everyone else to do carry out the wishes and functions of Council.

    In this respect, the conditions of contract are between the the Council (i.e. elected representatives) and the CEO it appoints. The Council is at liberty to choose any kind of condition or performance requirements for that person.

    It would be Christchurch City Councillors (or the majority of them) who set Maryatt's pay and conditions. It is to them that one must direct questions.

    Doffing said hat.

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    Marryatt may be the Council's employee, but he in turn appears to effectively employ individual Councillors by appointing them to often lucrative positions in areas of Council enterprise under his control.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    Um, aren't all employees including the CEO (but not councillors, who are elected, not employed) employed by the council as a corporate institution. The councillors (aka Council with a capital) directly appoint the CEO who then appoints the staff. While the councillors can't directly dictate who is employed and on what terms, they can set general policy as to employment terms including salaries, can they not?

    Incidentally, the US has a salary cap - nobody in the public service can get more than the USD400k the President earns (and in practice, the VP's salary of USD230k sets a limit). They still manage to hire CEOs (and fix earthquake-stricken cities).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Caleb D'Anvers,

    And does anyone at the council have golf club membership included as part of remuneration package?

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Um, aren’t all employees including the CEO (but not councillors, who are elected, not employed) employed by the council as a corporate institution. The councillors (aka Council with a capital) directly appoint the CEO who then appoints the staff. While the councillors can’t directly dictate who is employed and on what terms, they can set general policy as to employment terms including salaries, can they not?

    Wearing said hat:

    All employees excluding the CEO is employed by a corporate Council. The CEO's contract is with the body of councillors (Council).

    The theory is that Councillors appoint a CEO and manage that contract, and it is the CEO's responsibility to hire people to carry out the duties and wishes of the Council, and it is the CEO that manages the employment contracts of the staff, as it is the CEO that hires them.

    This prevents interference by Councillors in how staff carry out their jobs. For example, one councillor I knew of used to hide in the bushes at parks then jump out at staff to castigate them on how they should do the gardening (true story). The current Council - CEO - Council staff structure means that councillors cannot interfere with staff. They can only interfere with the CEO.

    In practice, it means that while I receive excellent service from the staff, if I should need to complain about any aspect, I must direct my complaint to the CEO (as he is my only employee).

    Now Council - CEO relationships are political, as they are wont to be, so effectively a very good CEO plays off various factions in Council shrewdly (it's been known to happen), but must always be careful to remain on side with the majority of Council.

    From this perspective, the process of employing a CEO is not the value free exercise it should be (as appears to be the case in Christchurch), but that's not to insist that such employment process should be entirely value free; subjectivity has a part to play, as does personalities.

    Doffing said hat...

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

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