Board Told To Put Land Sales To October Vote

Board Told To Put Land Sales To October Vote

"The Canterbury District Health Board must stop the land sales it is rushing through and put the issue to the Canterbury public at the October elections this year," Heather Carter of Health Cuts Hurt said today. Health Cuts Hurt Inc was commenting on the deadline today of submissions concerning the sale of land at Hillmorton Hospital.

"The Board has no mandate to sell off land that has been in the hands of the Canterbury public since the 1860s and were a part of Edward Seagar's original vision for mental health of Cantabrians," said Heather Carter. "Also the mood of the country has become really clear - Kiwis are sick of the continued selling off of schools and hospital land."

"Land designated and accepted by the local community for use in mental health or alcohol and drug rehabilitation needs to be retained for future generations and not sold to pay for short term deficits today," said Heather Carter. "Queen Mary land at Hanmer, Hillmorton Hospital, Gracefield House on the Christchurch Women's Site - where does it end?"

"Those who vote to sell the land at Queen Mary and Hillmorton have to be prepared to be held accountable. Our group asks for a moratorium on land sales till after the Board election in October"

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