Convention Centre Just Another Failure For Brownlee
Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
30 JUNE 2016
Convention Centre Just Another Failure For Brownlee
Gerry Brownlee should admit defeat – he will never get a gold star for work overseeing the recovery of Christchurch following devastating earthquakes, says New Zealand First.
“He was scornful when Treasury issued a red alert on the Rebuild’s so-called anchor projects, and now one of them, the Convention Centre, has practically fallen over,” says New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“As minister for Earthquake Recovery, the Rebuild, and now Regeneration Mr Brownlee will be remembered for poor decision making, inordinate delays and dictatorial behaviour, including forcing the Christchurch City Council to put assets on the block.
“The ground for the convention centre sits empty, the city and government have missed out on borrowing at cheaper rates, and the project now has to be revamped and resurrected after being abandoned by its private partners in the development.
“Mr Brownlee can throw all sorts of new start dates around but the reality is – he’s a failure. Hard-pressed Christchurch people deserved better than this.
“It’s time for the woodwork teacher to look for a job in the building industry and give Christchurch a fair go.”
ENDS