The Star: December 06, 2018

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Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday December 6 2018
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Fire rages, homes at risk
Diamond
Harbour in midst
of crime wave
• By Louis Day
DIAMOND HARBOUR is caught
in a crime wave – the worst in at
least 20 years.
A house has been broken into,
a $1500 boat trailer has been taken
and mail continues to be stolen
from letterboxes.
Chief fire officer and former
policeman of 34 years, Bob Palmer,
said he has not seen this much
crime in Diamond Harbour since
the late 1990s.
“We had a major burglary crime
wave maybe 20 years ago, something
like 26 or 30 burglaries over
three or four days.”
Jeremy Smith said the last few
months had been the worst he had
seen in his three years as Diamond
Harbour Neighbourhood support
co-ordinator.
Mr Smith said four or five
parcels had been stolen in the last
couple of weeks.
“There was one occasion where
the courier driver dropped off a
parcel and went back 20min later
and it had been taken.”
Mr Smith said it would be ideal to
have a permanent police presence in
the area.
But he said that would require
a “significant monetary commitment.”
Moore calls for ministerial back-up
• By Julia Evans
MEGAN WOODS and Lianne
Dalziel say they don’t need
appointed associates to help
manage their workloads.
It comes following a call from
former Mayor Garry Moore who
said the Greater Christchurch
Regeneration
Minister and
mayor need
people on
the ground
to represent
them at
community
meetings.
Garry Moore
Megan Woods
“The issue
is that the
minister has
such a huge
portfolio,
she needs an
associate,” Mr
Moore said.
“It is impossible
for a
minister to
have the level
of participation
in activities necessary to
really have their finger on the
pulse of what really us happening
within the various bureaucracies
in this city.”
It is time for Dr Woods to
appoint an associate, such as
former Canterbury Rebuild
Minister Gerry Brownlee had in
Nicky Wagner.
Mr Moore said Ms Wagner,
now a National list MP, was Mr
Brownlee’s eyes and ears in the
community.
“I well remember Nicky, as
Gerry’s associate, attending
a meeting in Victoria Square
where an irate group of residents
gave very clear feedback to her
that they did not approve of
what CERA had proposed for
the Square. She listened and the
idea was dropped,” he said.
“Ministers don’t have time
for this level of regular public
consultation.”
Mr Moore said a similar
theory could work for Ms
Dalziel.
“There needs to be an
elected rep from the city council
who could represent the city in
the genuine partnership,” he
said.
A spokesman for Dr Woods
said it was up to Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern to appoint associates
and there had not been
any discussion about it.
Dr Woods was happy with the
way work was progressing on the
stadium, Metro Sports Facility
RECOVERY:
Former
Mayor Garry
Moore said
an associate
minister
needs to be
appointed
for Megan
Woods.
and the inquiry into EQC, he said.
“The minister is comfortable
with the progress the Government
is making in Christchurch.”
Ms Dalziel said she has a
deputy mayor in Andrew Turner
and 15 councillors who represent
her.
“This utilises their
experience and deep
knowledge of their wards
to support the council as a
whole. They each have skill
sets which I draw on to lead
particular activities and
committee chairs often play a
particular role as well.”
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