Minto for Mayor
2 October 2016
Media Release:

Inquiry into Council contracting will be an urgent priority of John Minto as mayor

Christchurch City residents are right to be very angry that the council allowed contractors to decide repair priorities after the September 2010 earthquake with the result that a barely used country road – Murphy’s Road – was repaired by contractor Fulton-Hogan who just happened to have a major sub-division planned on adjacent land.

At the same time – six years after the quakes, residents in East Christchurch complained to mayoral candidates that

In response to an Official Information Act request the council offered no explanation aside from the astonishing comment:

“This repair was identified for inspection and repair by our contractor at the time Fulton-Hogan. Repairs were undertaken during the emergency works period, to make the road accessible. The Christchurch City Council Pavement Maintenance Team Leader authorised the repair and invoice”

Since when have contractors made decisions about priorities for roading repairs?
Why were roads and footpaths in Christchurch East, where the damage was greatest, not prioritised?
Why are elderly residents there still feeling trapped in their homes by footpath damage unrepaired six years after the quakes?
I have written a blogpost on this situation which is here: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/10/01/exclusive-the-story-of-murphys-road-a-blog-every-christchurch-resident-should-read/

The Murphy’s Road situation raises a host of issues around contracting. In Auckland bribery, corruption and fraud have been found in the contracting relationship between Auckland Transport and at least one contractor.
The public needs assurance the same does not happen in Christchurch.

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