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Local body candidates don’t know about red zone proposals

For immediate release

Local body candidates don’t know about red zone proposals

Most Christchurch local body candidates don’t know about more than half of the proposals for the Avon River red zone, a new survey shows.

Greening the Red Zone, a community group advocating for a return to nature in the red zone, surveyed Christchurch local body candidates about what they had heard of and what they supported.

Only 10 out of the 22 listed proposals scored 50% recognition or higher, meaning most candidates hadn’t heard of the other 12.

“This is a worry,” says Ashley Campbell, co-chair of Greening the Red Zone.

“Over the next 12 to 18 months, Regenerate Christchurch will be consulting with the people of Christchurch about what they want for the future of the red zone. Yet, even among the people asking for our vote there is a significant lack of knowledge about the proposals.

“It’s really important that consultation is based on a real understanding of what’s on offer, and what the implications of each proposal are,” Ms Campbell says. “Our survey suggests that if that consultation is to be meaningful, Regenerate Christchurch really must focus on public education about proposals and their consequences.”

Greening the Red Zone asked candidates six questions:

Which Avon red zone ideas have you heard of? Which Avon red zone ideas do you like or support? Which one idea do you like or support the most? Please explain why you like or support that one idea the most. Do you agree with the concept of returning as much of the red zone as possible to natural habitat? Any further comments?

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The most recognised proposal was the Flatwater Sports Lake/Rowing Lake, which almost 90% of candidates had heard of. This was followed by the Eastern Cycle & Walkway Network, Reforestation of the Red Zone, New Wetlands for Water Management, and Community Food Growing, which all scored above 70%.

When candidates were asked to name all proposals they liked or supported, the top five were: Eastern Cycle & Walkway Network (91%); New Wetlands for Water Management (75%); Reforestation of the Red Zone (73%); Community Food Growing (69%); Lower Avon Heritage Trail (69%).

When asked to name one proposal they supported the most, the top five were: Reforestation of the Red Zone (27%); Eastern Cycle & Walkway Network (20%); Flatwater Sports Lake (16%); New Wetlands for Water Management (10%); Waitakiri Sanctuary (8%).

Backing an earlier survey by Avon-Otakaro Network, Greening the Red Zone found extremely high support for environmental restoration. Almost 88% said they agreed with returning as much of the red zone as possible to natural habitat. Around 9% said they didn’t agree, while just over 3% said they didn’t know.

Greening the Red Zone surveyed more than 90 candidates for Christchurch City Council, some community boards, ECan and Canterbury DHB. It received 62 responses.

Ms Campbell says the survey aims to make sure voters know what candidates are likely to advocate for in the Avon River red zone.

“When you take these results, together with the Avon-Otakaro Network survey results, voters can be very well informed about what the candidates are likely to support and advocate for.

“The future of the red zone is one of the most important issues facing our city. We urge voters to use this information and let candidates know what’s important to them and what they value.

“And we also urge Regenerate Christchurch to make sure that if we do this survey again in 12 months, most people will have heard about most of the proposals, and be very aware of what they all involve.”

You can download the full survey results from here.

You can read more about Greening the Red Zone’s proposal at greeningtheredzone.nz.

ENDS


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