Gerry Brownlee

Lianne Dalziel must be desperate for headlines, or she is starting her tilt at the mayoralty early because she has been fomenting a bit of mischief:

The former homeowners of several quake-ravaged Christchurch houses to be bulldozed today are reportedly only just finding out about the demolition plans.

The first of the red-zoned homes will begin being destroyed today, with a trial demolition of 11 government-bought properties taking place on Seabreeze Close, Waireka Lane and Kokopu Lane in Bexley .

The properties will be cleared over a four-week period.

More than 2000 red-zone homeowners have settled with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) since the Government sent out offers to purchase properties damaged in last year’s February 22 earthquake.

Labour earthquake recovery spokeswoman Lianne Dalziel this morning told TVNZ’s Breakfast that there had not been satisfactory communication from Cera to the people who had once lived in the homes that are to be destroyed.

“There are people who are only just finding out their homes are going to be demolished this week, and I think that’s really not good enough,” she said.

“Some of those people have been out of their homes since September 2010 but nobody’s bothered to tell them it’s their house that’s coming down this week.

What a whole lot of fuss over nothing. They sold their house to the government, have been paid out, it isn;t theirs anymore…and why would they want to be notified anyway…prurient self indulgence? Did they want to go around and wail in front of cameras as the house they sold and got paid out for was demolished?

Gerry Brownlee has called it for what it is:

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee is defending not telling former Bexley residents about the demolition of their old homes, accusing Labour of a “beat-up”.

Demolition of 11 homes in the Bexley residential red zone on Seabreeze Cl, Waireka Ln and Kokopu Ln began today after their former owners sold their houses to the Government and moved.

Christchurch East Labour MP Lianne Dalziel today said some former residents were upset after not being informed of the demolition.

Brownlee called Dalziel’s comments a “bit of a beat-up”.

“I think this is a demonstration of the new bipartisanship approach the Labour Party wants to take and an indication of no change,” he said, referring to Labour leader David Shearer’s recent comments that the party would take a bipartisan approach to the quake recovery.

Brownlee said residents had been informed of the demolitions and a street meeting was held on Friday.

However, with more than 5000 homes to be demolished in Christchurch’s red zones, it was not practical to tell former homeowners about the impending demolition of their homes, he said.

“Once you have settled, you know the house is either going to be moved to another site … or demolished.”

The current approach of not informing former homeowners was reasonable and would not change, he said

Typical of Labour…preying on people’s misery or in this case making up people’s misery.

The Dompost editorial is scathing of the Maritime Union this morning:

In the days before Christmas, one of New Zealand’s busiest gateways, Ports of Auckland (POA), was beset by industrial stoppages. The Maritime Union, which has so far mounted four 48-hour strikes, has vowed to strike again next week.

It is so long since the waterfront has been held to ransom like this that the disruption has made headlines and, in newspaper advertisements, POA chief executive Tony Gibson has apologised to customers while also detailing the terms of his latest offer, “the ninth since negotiations began”. They include a 10 per cent increase in the hourly rate, performance bonuses of up to 20 per cent, retention of existing benefits and provisions, and “full operational flexibility for Ports of Auckland”. No doubt the last is causing unionists most angst. It would allow port management, not them, to manage the business.

The problem has echoes of last year’s Qantas kerfuffle, during which chief executive Alan Joyce took the astonishing step of grounding the fleet worldwide after he and the board could not get the unions involved – including well-paid pilots – to acknowledge the challenges facing international airlines.

The Dompost isn’t the first to suggest that POAL needs to go medieval and follow the Qantas solution. It isn’t as if the unionised workers are poorly remunerated either. It has got people wondering what they are actually striking for.

In these times, the POA offer looks generous. The average annual wage of an Auckland wharfie is about $91,480 – reportedly for a 26-hour week, employees and their families get free medical insurance, and three weeks sick leave entitlement is written into contracts. They also get five weeks annual leave.

There are many workers out there that would love those terms and conditions.

The Productivity Commission last year embarked on an inquiry into international freight transport services, which includes sea ports as well as airports. It must report to the Government by April. One question it has posed is to what extent “inflexible labour practices and difficulties in employer-union relationships” remain an obstacle to improving efficiency and productivity at ports. It is not too hard to imagine that because POA is wholly owned by a left-wing council, its owners have no appetite for an overdue stoush with their trade union friends. The same might be true elsewhere.

Other commission questions also go to the operational heart of the ports business. It asks, for example, what impact local authority ownership of majority stakes in commercial ports has had on the development of a more efficient and productive port sector. CentrePort, for one, seems to be as much a property-development company as it is an enterprise based on imports and exports, though neither owner – Greater Wellington regional council and the Palmerston North-Wanganui equivalent – seems to care. Their ratepayers should.

Though it is mildly diverting to watch from this distance a rerun of 1970 and 80s waterfront strikes in the north, the commission spells out just how inflated freight costs – whatever their cause – increase the price that New Zealanders pay for imported goods, as well as lower the price paid to exporters for their goods. Has the commission the courage to recommend root-and-branch reform? And if it does, will new Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee have the courage to act on it? All Kiwis should hope so

It is high time that dinosaur unions were brought into the 21st century, by force if necessary, either that or exterminate them.

Labour are having a sook about Gerry Brownlee as Local Government Minister:

Labour has accused Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee of making “veiled threats” to Christchurch councillors, after the minister said some officials were slowing the city’s rebuild.

Mr Brownlee told media this afternoon there needed to be greater pace around council decision-making, particularly around consents.

The act that made Gerry Generalissimo of Christchurch means he doesn’t need to make veiled threats he should just make the direct threat “If you don’t sort this out I will take it off you”.

I see that the usual stooges and shills for Labour are already preparing the ground for David Shearer’s shellacking at Question Time by suggesting that it is not that important to perform well in the house. But if question time doesn’t matter – why did Labour make such a song and dance about it when Brash was the National Leader? This is one of many examples.

from Lianne Dalziel:

The bottom line is that Dr Brash does not like asking questions in Parliament, because he finds it demeaning. He thinks it is a bit beneath him to come to Parliament and ask questions. Here he was today in Parliament, large as life, and there was not one single question on the Order Paper from the Leader of the Opposition.

I think there is a reason for that, too. When he gets up to ask a question, he is not very good at it. Own goals are his particular forte.

They even lined up former Clark staffers to write opinion pieces in the Herald:

Dr Brash, it seemed, had everything on his side – a rallying cry over racial issues that resonated with voters, the promise of more barn-burning speeches to come, and a Government threatening to haemorrhage over the foreshore and seabed issue.

Yet in the most public face of our democracy, he was conspicuously absent.

In March, Parliament held 10 question times. During that month, and at the height of his post-Orewa prominence, Dr Brash contributed less to question time than Winston Peters, Peter Dunne, Rodney Hide or Jeanette Fitzsimmons.

He spoke less than his deputy, Gerry Brownlee, his predecessor, Bill English, or the person many pick as his successor, Simon Power.

March was a tumultuous time for the Government, but Dr Brash asked the Prime Minister only two primary questions and five supplementary questions. In total, she answered 75.

Further, since the Budget speech in May, Dr Brash has been responsible for only four of the 156 primary questions to be asked and a mere 14 of about 780 supplementary questions.

Nobody could accuse him of hogging the limelight, though some would wonder why he hasn’t.

Dr Brash’s “where’s Waldo” act is certainly not typical of other Opposition leaders in New Zealand – remember the commanding performances of Jim Bolger, David Lange and Mike Moore – or overseas.

…Dr Brash can reduce (though not eliminate) the risk of looking bad in next year’s leaders’ debates. Practice makes perfect, and he has a ready-made practice ground waiting for him in Wellington most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

He may have to swallow some pride and take some hits from the Prime Minister, but that is the price of taking responsibility for his party’s fortunes, especially in the rough and tumble world of New Zealand’s increasingly presidential election campaigns.

If Don Brash doesn’t get used to the cut and thrust of Parliament’s question hour now, he runs a significant risk of consigning his party to three more years in opposition during the next election campaign.

And Peters used to rib Don Brash for his house performances describing him as ‘fearless’ and ‘the great debater’.

via the tipline:

It is February 2012. The Mayor of Auckland Council, and the new Minister of Transport, Gerry Brownlee, sit down after their summer break to discuss Auckland transport issues. Gerry walks into the Town Hall, after sidestepping through smelly hippies still camped out in Aotea Square, to sit down in Len’s office and talk about the future

Len: “Whoo, whoo whoo, whoo whoo whoo! Yeah man! 274 is in da house!”

Gerry: “And a nice welcome from Ilam to you too. I see you thoughtfully provided a fruit platter. Any mini-savouries?”

Len: “What the man wants, the man gets. Get the man a pie!”

A Mayoral Advisor quietly slips out the door to get a plate of pies.

Len: “So welcome Minister, we are here to talk about Auckland Transport issues. And I’ve thoughtfully provided some useful information to help demonstrate my point”

Gerry:”Good. Good good good. I’ve brought some things along too.”

Len commences 10 minute presentation on the inner city rail loop. He unveils some artist impressions, some transport modelling forecasts, and a rudimentary budget.

Gerry; “Well, this is all very interesting, but what does this have to do with me? If you want an inner city rail loop, you will have to pay for it yourself.”

Len: “Well, I was hoping you might contribute half of the costs”

Gerry: “But why?”

Len: “Because we need your help to do it, otherwise we could never afford it”

Gerry: “There’s no money, and besides, voters comprehensively rejected the inner city rail loop only three months ago. Labour worked with you to campaign on this issue, they even ran ads on TV about it, and voters delivered them their worst result since the 1920s.”

Len: “But with respect Minister…”

Gerry cuts him off quickly: “And besides, heres some photos of Christchurch for you to consider.”

Gerry unveils a series of photos of buildings fallen apart, liquefaction in suburbs, and other examples of earthquake devastation.

Gerry: “While you push for a rail loop that neither you nor I can afford, people in Christchurch are expecting a sewer and water system to be rebuilt, along with homes on solid land, after the year from hell we had last year.”

Len: “Christchurch’s problems are big, but we need to improve Auckland too”

Gerry: “And that’s why we will be building a road of national significance, recently mandated by the voting public, to help free up transport and economic growth for the North of Auckland and beyond. The whole reason why you now have a supercity is so you can deal with your own problems. It’s your own damn fault you over-promised on projects you can’t deliver.”

 Len looks downfallen. An advisor brings in a plate of pies. Gerry helps himself.

 Thus ends the first and only meeting between Len Brown and Gerry Brownlee, the new Minister of Transport.

Lord Burns has descended again from his country seat for the rather tiresome task of convincing the Lumpenprolitariat they are blessed by having such a fine MP representing them, and they should tug their forelocks and vote for him on November 26th.

In aid of this tiresome task Lord Burns has started manipulating the hoi polloi in the media to help his ends. Obviously Lord Burns is beyond reproach and this blog would never suggest he is lying in his latest missive to the masses, as it is surely beneath Lord Burns to lie. Nor would it suggest he has pulled something out of his posterior, as he is well known not to be either self serving or one of the gaggle so there is not much room in his posterior to begin with.

Lord Burns, however, does need someone to question the degree of verisimilitude of this statement:

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee must front up and confirm the Government’s plans to install commissioners in the Christchurch City Council and sell its assets, says Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns.

Unfortunately for Lord Burns sources inside the socialist republic as well as the beltway say there is absolutely no chitter chatter about commissioners replacing the council. The reason for this is Gerry Brownlee has no intention of doing an ounce more work than is necessary, and installing commissioners would require a huge amount of extra effort for a man unused to exertion to begin with. With all the exertion Big Gerry has had to undertake in the last year he is not contemplating exerting himself any further as he has been neglecting important things like eating and the restoration of Christchurch’s pie shops to their pre earthquake level.

I have a no dickheads rule. I won’t work for or with dickheads. It is one of the reasons I quit Citizen A.

When Paul Roos took over the Sydney Swans he implemented a no dickheads rule in order to clean up the club. It is the origin for my no dickheads rule. So far it has stood the club in good stead, but after a poor season this year there are some calling for the club to hire a dickhead.

Paul Roos is gone from the club but does the no dickheads rule remain?

The no dickheads policy. If it’s still in place, Fevola has a problem.

While he can be a good influence on the field, the worry for the Swans could be the bad influence off the field.

While AFL players enjoy anonymity in Sydney, Fevola is well-known enough to be recognised, which can often lead to altercations at pubs.

Swans fans don’t like him, and most don’t want him. The Swans are the goodie two shoes of sport in Sydney, and adding a bad boy may change their clean-cut image among parents of youngsters.

Risk, gamble, punt. Yes, yes and yes. When they don’t come off, we are all dirty on ourselves for taking them. When they do … it could be the difference between a top eight finish and a top four.

I think political parties should consider a no dickheads policy too. That way we wouldn’t have to put up with people like Trevor Mallard, Charles Chauvel, Gerry Brownlee, Simon Power, Keith Locke, Hone Harawira and Peter Dunne.

John Armstrong gets up Phil Goff for his shameless politicking over Christchurch. Labour were always going to politicize the earthquake, they were building up to it as a campaign platform until the second quake hit. Now they are ramping it up again. John Armstrong calls out Phil Goff.

If Phil Goff wants to play politics with the Christchurch earthquakes, that is his prerogative. A year on from the first shake with the timetable for rebuilding the city still seemingly in limbo, it would be surprising if the Labour leader did not start asking some hard questions.

But – and it is a big “but” – it was a bit rich for Goff to criticise the Government yesterday for not making fast enough progress towards restoring some degree of normality to the lives of the citizens of Christchurch when Labour has yet to outline its stance on the crucial question of how much compensation should be paid to those people in the city’s red zone who have to move out of their houses.

That everyone is still none the wiser about Labour’s position did not stop Goff yesterday highlighting the case of a woman who had lost more than $100,000 in equity in her home because of the way the Government was calculating compensation.

Cuddling corpses and now politicizing the earthquake.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee originally indicated that such modifications would be included in offers of compensation. He admitted last Sunday that he had made a mistake.

Goff rounded on Brownlee yesterday, saying the minister had committed “the unforgivable sin” of raising expectations only to later dash them.

When asked whether a Labour government would make up the shortfall, however, Goff would not say. He said his party was working on a policy which would be “both fair and affordable”.

Gerry Brownlee screwed up, but at least he apologised for screwing up, something we are yet to hear from a Labour MP.

How much fairer will be interesting to see given the consensus that National’s offer is at the top end of such compensation payments in historic terms and, at the same time, Labour is eschewing any big-spending election policies.

2007 valuations would be much higher than valuations in 2010 that is for sure. Property prices have been adjusting downwards since 2008 due to the global financial crisis.

As to when Labour’s version would surface, there was likewise no clear answer from Goff beyond saying some time in the 10 weeks left until election day.

And Labour wonders why it is rating so poorly in opinion polls.

Out of touch, unrepentant, and off target is why Labour are polling so poorly.

Labour’s campaign manager, fresh from spending 10 weeks training to beat me in a bike race has now unleashed Labour’s latest great campaign idea.

Calling Gerry Brownlee fat and making jokes about it on Twitter. Yet another underpants stealing campaign idea from Trevor Mallard.

1. Tell Gerry Brownlee fat joke
2. ???
3. Win Votes.

The man is an idiot, but then again the poll ratings for Labour prove that.