Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Nobody wanted #EQNZ for Christmas

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  • Just thinking, in reply to Lilith __,

    Of our troop of Civil Servants pleading repeatedly, being denied, then allowed access to our building. Clearly the most dangerous building we entred was the Art Gallery. The glass entrance was/is supported by a cherry picker.
    The comedy of all the "Structural Engineers" being in a (ahem) Gerry-Rigged building, in the drop zoned of various buildings about to be demolished did not go uncommented on.

    Over investment in single solutions, didn't allow for the flexibility disasters call for or take into account the myopic vision of its designers.

    I'm over the term " this building is x% of the building code" too. It either passes or fails the code. That said the code needs to be taken around the back and sorted out too.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Marryat has reportedly instructed his pay office to stop paying his payrise, and, if councillors can work together (paraphrase) he’ll pay back what he has already received. And 'crown observer' appointed to overview the CCC.
    See "The Press" site (I really will learn to cut&paste one day soon...)
    They're running scared?

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Islander,

    See "The Press" site

    The easiest way is to standardly Copy and then Paste the whole web address from the browser you use. This site automatically turns it into a clickable link, like this:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6326087/Marryatt-rejects-payrise

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Thanks Sacha-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    I thought counting the many failures of CCC, giving a 14% pay rise a month after the contract was signed, was a Reginald Perrin call for self destruction. It seems I was wrong (or Bob really is Reginald), they really do believe they're doing well & he deserves it.
    The very many failures and loss of life might have been sobering, but they weren't.
    That is so much scarier.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Just thinking,

    The very many failures and loss of life might have been sobering, but they weren’t.
    That is so much scarier.

    Yes. Indeedy.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    "I want to show my commitment to Christchurch..." - Marrayatt
    Maybe living in Christchurch could be considered the minimum you could do?

    That said I like the fact you're a Hamiltonian and will leave us some day (soon ).

    He is right though, our idiots employed him, rehired him and threw more money at him.
    It isn't a pay rise or a bonus, it has no basis I'm aware of for being paid. It's just more money.

    It hasn't been about the dollars for most of us, envy of greed or however else it might be described.

    It's interesting he's insisting Crs follow guide lines, when that is the gripe most often raise of him.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    Play spot the difference with Kerry Marshall & Tony Marryatts Job Descriptions.
    They are there, if you look hard enough.

    2 B may meet with, and offer advice and assistance to, the elected
    Council or Council committees, the Mayor, and other elected
    members or groups of elected membershttp://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Crown_Observer_Proposal.pdf

    2 B provide advice to members of the local authority and to its community boards, if any; and
    http://resources.ccc.govt.nz/files/AllCommsStuff/LocalGovtAct2002ChiefExecutive.pdf

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    It all makes sense now.
    1 Feb rally was to allow time for the OIA to work, so that the internal review of Tony Marryatts performance could come to light & makes liars of Sideshow & Eject Button.

    They show him doing only moderately well at his job and his performance has continued to slide since at least 2009...

    The documents also include advice to the council that Mr Marryatt's original salary of $470,000 was substantially above the median salary offered to chief executives in large public sector organisations.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/96907/ceo-got-big-pay-rise-despite-doing-poorly-in-job

    So what do we do when the Mayor & Deputy Mayor deliberately lie to the people?
    There must be a remedy.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Just thinking,

    Now that's interesting.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Just thinking,

    Yeah- it's unravelling fast now. Wish I could be at the Feb 1 rally, but am tied up at work. Not sure Parker would lose an election, but I think there are a few councillors who'd get a surprise.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    So what do we do when the Mayor & Deputy Mayor deliberately lie to the people?
    There must be a remedy.

    Don't vote for them.

    Find out whether local government candidates are Tories (they lie about this too, but tend to leave clues, like having stood for the National Party a few years prior) and avoid voting for them.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Don't vote for them

    and work to provide a competent and attractive alternative for voters

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Find out whether local government candidates are Tories (they lie about this too, but tend to leave clues, like having stood for the National Party a few years prior) and avoid voting for them.

    Ngaire Button and Jamie Gough are with the Independent Citizens ticket, the main rightist ticket in ChCh. To boot, Button seems to have hobnobbed with local fundies.

    Aaron Keown is with the ACT-aligned Christchurch City Vision, and is easily the most reactionary of the bunch (with Barry Corbett a close 2nd).

    Barry Corbett, Sue Wells and Claudia Reid are Independents, but in name only. Corbett appears to have a background with Newstalk ZB, and was in the news a few years back when he basically said he would have acquitted Bruce Emery if he was on the jury.

    With the latest OIA report, I can easily see things exploding in Bobby’s face now. He and Marryatt have basically become the local body equivalent of Wall St banksters.

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Just thinking,

    So what do we do when the Mayor & Deputy Mayor deliberately lie to the people?
    There must be a remedy

    They get a govt babysitter, apparently.
    That'll learn em..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    the ACT-aligned Christchurch City Vision

    did they seriously use the same name as the left grouping in Auckland's local bodies?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Just thinking,

    So what do we do when the Mayor & Deputy Mayor deliberately lie to the people?
    There must be a remedy.

    More leaks! The HB Gary Federal case offers hope. Or even ‘boss-nap’ them.

    Sacha:

    did they seriously use the same name as the left grouping in Auckland’s local bodies?

    Indeed they did. But if you get the AKL CV and ChCh CV together in the same room, just be sure to have some riot gear handy.

    With each passing day, Mayor Bob is sounding more and more like Comical Ali. Or should that be Baghdad Bob?

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    More leaks!

    water torture

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Find out whether local government candidates are Tories (they lie about this too,

    It's incredibly annoying (and somewhat dishonest) the way local body politicians hide their affiliations/political inclinations. I voted for Reid once, before I worked it out... And when Parker was first making his run, and touting amalgamation of BP with the city, it was (and still is) totally unclear where his political inclinations were.
    Often it doesn't matter- but gosh, sometimes it does.
    (and yeah- Corbett is far right; Wells and Reid I'd say centre-right in a Nat sort of way)

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie,

    Don't believe everything you read, especially Council-approved chicklit.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Very clever; Love Your Rubbish(ing). [For non-Christchurch readers our council had a major PR campaign a couple of years ago branding our bins and trucks with "Love Your Rubbish". Real.]

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    the way local body politicians hide their affiliations/political inclinations

    The need at the council is for inclusive decision-making, and competence, not ideological hair-splitting surely?

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Hebe,

    Party politics and blocs get in the way of that - if they're not out in the open. Parker's aversion to sunlight is a big part of the problem.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Hebe,

    The need at the council is for inclusive decision-making, and competence, not ideological hair-splitting surely?

    Yes, mostly. But good to know someone in council is looking out for the less-than-well-off. (Councillors get about $85k a year; most are not fulltime, though that'd be a pretty good job.) And if there’s a decision to, eg suddenly sell the airport, or push for market rents on council-owned flats, I’d like to know which side someone I’m voting for will fall.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie,

    The Press may have fallen out of love with Mayor Bob, but there still appears to be a convoluted web of loyalties. PR flack Felicity Price has a guest opinion piece where she 'explains' how everything's hunky-dory with her $80,000 Council 'communications' review. Unlike every other guest piece they've run, Price's puffery has been spared from reader comments, so we're denied the opportunity to ask her why, if part of her brief is to groom CEO Marryatt to 'be out and about in the community in order to listen, learn and act on what people are thinking and feeling about their Council', he's been sulking in his bunker (bad golf pun) since his disastrous encounter with the media on his return from holiday, and shows no sign of emerging.

    Meanwhile, His Worship does the designer media-op in a neck of the woods that's seen practically nothing of him until now.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

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