8 October 2013
For Immediate Release

Greens Celebrate Harcourt’s Building stalemate

The unhelpful attitude held by council officers towards its residents and ratepayers has permeated down from the top as highlighted by a triumphant email from the sitting Greens councillor Iona Pannett on the Environment Court decision on the Harcourt’s Building.

Mayoral candidate John Morrison has slammed the Greens candidate for Lambton for her congratulatory email to council officers for achieving a further stalemate on the Harcourt’s Building.

Pannett’s email was addressed to council officer Warren Ulusele and said: “Thanks Warren, fantastic outcome. Well done to the team, staff, experts and lawyers. Kind regards. Iona,”

“The current Mayor and the rest of the Greens want to stop everything, do nothing. There’s no attempt at an imaginative solution for investors who want to get the city moving again,” Morrison said.

“This is a classic example of a ‘them and us’ mentality and culture that exists in the council at the moment. Anyone trying to do anything will run into it when they have to come face-to-face with the council.

“The current leadership and the behind-the-scenes manipulation by the Greens has encouraged councillor officers to stop everything and do nothing. They pat themselves on the back when they have a ‘win’ against a citizen or ratepayer. The staff has forgotten their job is to provide a service to the people of Wellington and they’ve forgotten how to do good positive things,” Morrison said

Good examples of council in conflict with its citizens included parking, planning issues, building consents, dog control, and encroachment licences.

Morrison said the seven out of 10 Wellingtonians who had not yet voted had until mid-day on Saturday to fill in their papers and he urged them to put (1) next to his name, or face three more years of the same.

In the case of the Harcourt’s building Ulusele informed councillors:

“We have received a decision from the Environment Court (copy attached) regarding the proposed demolition of the Harcourt’s building. We have not had time to read through the decision in detail but the Court has upheld the Commissioners’ decision to decline consent for the demolition.

“We will need to review the decision more fully and consider the implications of this decision in terms of earthquake strengthening of the city’s buildings and the balance with owners’ needs for financial viability.”

ENDS

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