Mayor welcomes Government announcement

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says the Government has today confirmed its confidence in the Council’s ability to play its role in earthquake recovery.

Lianne Dalziel says it makes good sense for the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to become a departmental agency within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).

“This is a more appropriate structure for transition because it enables a cross-agency perspective. It also signals that the Government is moving into a deliberate stage of transition from CERA to local government and other government agencies. I welcome this.

The Mayor also paid tribute to her fellow councillors for what they had achieved collectively since their election last October.

“I know it has been said before, but we can’t forget that no Council in the country has ever faced a challenge as great or as complex as this.

Today’s announcement really marks a turning point in our recovery because it sends a very clear signal to the people of this city that the Crown has confidence in its local leadership and knows we can work in true partnership for the benefit of our citizens and the wider region.”

Lianne Dalziel says the Council had made it very clear to the Government that the transition required a whole of Government approach.

“In recent months we have been talking to a number of Government departments including DPMC, CERA, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and others about the transition and longer term governance of the city,” she says.

“Council has developed a very positive working relationship with Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Brownlee, CERA and the Government. This will continue as we participate fully in the transition.”

Lianne Dalziel says she welcomes the commitment to including community representatives on the advisory group of local leaders to help steer the transition.

“I want to reassure our community that they will be fully involved in the future direction of earthquake recovery. This Council has made an absolute commitment to engaging with the community as it makes major decisions affecting the future of the city,” she says.

“Today’s announcement from the Government aligns with an announcement that the Council will be making later this week around the Council’s Long Term Plan. It is also appropriate that this announcement should come in the week of the fourth anniversary of the first major earthquake that completely changed this city. ”

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