Government package great for local community

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker today (11 February) congratulated the Government on its accelerated $500 million publicly-funded building projects package saying it was a great start to stimulate the local economy.

“The package is targeted at the right areas of our community and will see the delivery of some important projects to assist with local development.

“I thank John Key for a good opening package; it puts money into our community in the right areas of transport, education and housing, it is achievable and will make a difference in our community.”

The fast-tracking of Christchurch’s $180 million Southern Motorway by four months, at an added cost of $3.7 million, is timely for the region, he says.

“This project will now be underway in March 2010, injecting significant money and jobs into our economy.

“I am also confident we will receive our share of the further $100 million which will be invested in road maintenance and renewal work around the country during the next three years.”

Mr Parker said he was also thrilled at the Government’s $216.7 million commitment to education and in particular the funding this delivers to assist with the upgrading of buildings and facilities at Christchurch South School, Lyttelton Main School and Somerfield School.

These three schools will share in the $11 million made available to seven schools to replace outdated and rundown buildings.

“It is important to be investing in education for the future prosperity of our country.”

He says while the Government’s package will bring some significant money into the region - $12.8 million – for the upgrading of State houses and also $1.6 million for new homes, there was nothing to assist Council in maintaining its own housing stock.

“Council will be going back to Government on a number of other areas, such as our own social housing, AMI Stadium and the vital northern arterial transport corridor, to talk about infrastructure that we see as vital for our community and the country.

“With the upgrade of AMI Stadium, the previous government had indicated there may be government funding to support this project as it is an important asset for New Zealand and in hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup,” Mr Parker says.

“I congratulate the Government on this package. It puts money where it is genuinely needed in our community and will have a flow down effect for businesses in the region; it is great news for Canterbury.”