Media Release: Rik Tindall, city council candidate, Burwood-Pegasus ward

Date: 6 February 2012

Subject: Care for the elderly of Christchurch East

Urgent attention must be given to the plight of elderly people stuck in earthquake-hit suburbs, one council candidate believes. Political campaign work throughout Burwood-Pegasus ward has been useful for establishing priorities, Rik Tindall says.

“The voice of the marginalised needs to be heard,” Tindall told news media today. “Two forms of assurance are needed right now, to relieve distress, I have forthrightly been told.”

"Firstly, those in damaged council flats want to know what will happen to them. These seniors are crying out for basic contact and communication from council,” Tindall says. “Some have been moved into damaged accommodation as an emergency measure, and now they need certainty.”

The fate of much public housing remains unclear.

"Secondly, the government compensation system is destroying some older people’s spirit, with its added layer of uncertainty. Those that have insurance payouts for damaged houses but are stuck with land they cannot sell just want to move on,” Tindall reports. “These elderly citizens don’t have the will or the energy to reinstate damaged grounds, and require a special form of assistance soon,” he says.

“During the recent Parklands candidate debate I responded that the Mayoral and Prime Minister’s emergency relief funds needed to focuson a new drive to assist our at-risk retired folk, affording individual land purchase where necessary,” Tindall states. “Today I call on both central and local government to reopen appeals for support, with our worried elderly as the specific needy cause. We lost too many after emergency evacuation of rest homes, and now is the time to do justice.”

“Remember, this is actually a government investment in land assets,that can later be recouped,” Tindall concludes. “I appeal to the widerglobal community to help Christchurch help its troubled senior citizens in the east.”

ENDS

Ref: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2508977/candidates-battle-for-place-on-christchurch-city-council.asx

More information: http://ParklandsRecovery.wordpress.com + http://SustainableCanterbury.org

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