Trans Tasman Political Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Trans Tasman Names New Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority Boss

NZ's premier political newsweekly, Trans Tasman can reveal NZ’s senior defence attaché in Europe, Brigadier Phil Gibbons, has been whisked out of London to become Chief of Staff to the new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority which is to be formally instituted this week.

The CERA will be tasked with providing long-term stabilisation for the earthquake-razed city.

Trans Tasman says Gibbons is expected to start duties as soon as this week. The CERA will have representation from local and central Govt and will be given broad powers.

Gibbons is a senior army officer and in some quarters was regarded as a candidate to become chief of the army. He is highly-regarded for his organisational and leadership abilities.

For more on this story and other political aspects of the Christchurch Earthquake see tomorrow's edition of Trans Tasman.

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>