Parker’s election promise has bitten him on the backside

20 December 2010 Media Statement

Bob Parker’s election promise that the Council’s affairs would be more transparent has bitten him on the backside again, says Wigram MP Jim Anderton.

“The whole secrecy thing was the main reason I stood for Mayor in the first place and this latest council story of $1million parking spaces for Council staff proves yet again that Bob Parker’s assertions that he’s learnt what the people want, shows he has a lot to learn”, says Jim Anderton.

“It’s now abundantly clear that since plans for the Music School at the Art Centre were thrown out, the failure to deliver an underground car park for its staff has put the Council in a tailspin when their secret plans backfired.

“The Press story certainly explains why Art’s Centre Director Ken Franklin wanted to clear out the stallholders from the Art’s Centre Market. What disappoints is the secret way the Council goes about its business.

“Why do we not get the same level of communication on Council’s business deals that we got 24-7 in the early days of the earthquake? Could it be the election is over?

“These behind-closed-doors meetings are like a rerun of the movie Groundhog Day. Ratepayers are going to get more incensed at the Council’s lack of open consultation and the use of excuses such as ‘commercially sensitive’. Mayor Parker’s mandate is to lead an open council, that is what the people of Christchurch want, not more backroom deals that only seem to be self-serving”, says Jim Anderton.

ENDS

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