Putting power back in the hands of Cantabrians

David Shearer

Thank you for welcoming us here to Christchurch for our out-of-Parliament caucus.

We appreciate you joining us.

We’re really pleased to be here and to be holding our meeting at the recently re-opened Ibis Hotel right in the heart of the CBD. We hope that helps to set a trend back to the central city.

Can I first acknowledge our Christchurch MPs – each and every one of them – Clayton, Ruth and Lianne, Megan and Rino.

I’d also like to mention former MPs Brendon Burns and Jim Anderton who played and continue to play key roles here.

Our MPs, along with their out-of-Parliament support teams, have put their hearts and souls into working through all the issues the communities here are dealing with. 

I arrived in the city last night with my wife and children who have joined me for a couple of days. We took the wrong turn to get to the Ibis and needed to circumnavigate closed streets and fenced-off areas.

My kids sat silently in the back seat glued to the destruction they saw.

My wife, Anuschka, found it shocking and profoundly depressing.

She simply stated that it reminded her of the kind of devastation we’ve seen when working in war zones overseas.

This isn’t my first trip to Christchurch since taking up the role as Leader of the Labour Party, nor for many of my colleagues.

But the scale of the damage, as buildings disappear, grows ever apparent.

People who don’t live here or don’t regularly visit Christchurch forget. It’s not that they don’t care – people do very much care – it’s simply that news has moved on.

I believe it’s important that rest of the country doesn’t forget what is happening here.

To keep in our minds those facing the daily struggle of simply living amongst damage – but even more corrosively amongst the uncertainty – of the struggle to piece lives and homes back together.

It galvanises my determination that we all continue to support Christchurch’s recovery in the years ahead in whatever way we can.

That is why I have recommitted Labour to a bi-partisan or perhaps, under MMP, a multi-partisan, approach to the recovery.

The reality is that the recovery will take years, a generation.

As your future Prime Minister, I would want to extend the same offer to the National ministers who are involved now – and to the local MPs from all parties – to participate in the Christchurch recovery effort in a meaningful way.

The role of Leader of the Opposition is a constitutional position and as part of that, I’m required to hold the government to account.

That’s something I’m absolutely committed to.

Right now I believe the people of Christchurch are calling out for a style of political leadership that is both inclusive and engaging, but also respects the diversity of views and opinions that Cantabrians have never been afraid to express.

My concern arises out of where we find ourselves in Christchurch today – just over 2 years from the first earthquake and close to 18 months since the devastating February 22 event.

I received an email last month from a parent of a child who attends Ouruhia School – it was an impassioned plea from a parent to help save the school from closure.

The school was one of the 13 that the government suddenly announced would be closed together with 18 that will be merged.

Her touching request prompted me to attend a community meeting held by the parents, teachers and kids.

The words of one parent stuck with me: “the Minister has done what 10,000 aftershocks couldn’t do: close our school.”

As a parent, and as someone who began my working life as a teacher, my heart went out to them.

Schools aren’t just learning institutions: they’re centres of our communities. And nowhere is that felt more than in Christchurch.

A mother at the meeting stood up and said, “I have a child at this school, and when there’s an earthquake during school when I’m at work, I know she’s safe, both emotionally and physically.”

Like so many other schools in Christchurch – Ouruhia is a place of safety and comfort for thousands of kids coping with trauma and instability.

Through playing with mates and the familiar rituals in the classroom, these schools provide stability and normality.

This is not peculiar to Christchurch. It’s been recognised across the world in disaster and relief operations that I headed before coming into politics.

Re-opening schools was seen as a first order priority, along with water, food, shelter, sanitation.

What was particularly troubling was Ouruhia principal, Mark Ashmore-Smith saying: "I invite you to come round with a magnifying glass to try and find any earthquake damage".

He said the rationale for his school closing was not earthquakes but because it had less than 150 students. According to the Government, that made it not viable.

In education, bigger isn’t always better – and when a school is the centre of a community it has a value that can’t be counted in dollar and student numbers.

You’d think the Government would have learned that particular lesson when they had to back down on their plan for bigger class sizes.

It’s increasingly clear the earthquake is a smokescreen to institute a wider agenda of closure and consolidation of schools.

Other principals I’ve met told me the same thing – that change is being forced on their schools even when the school buildings have no major earthquake damage and student numbers are stable.

Where’s the logic they ask? Why didn’t they speak to us? What sort of consultation is it when you’re told to consult before we close you anyway?

If only officials had been in touch they said, we might have avoided the Ministry’s bungled school information, creating imaginary buildings and inflating repair costs.

At Burwood School staff say the Government mistook a long-jump pit for liquefaction.

Ouruhia is just two years from its centenary, 98 years serving its community.

It’s pretty callous to close a proud, thriving community school when the children have just weathered two years of natural disasters, and finally have something to celebrate.

My fear is Christchurch is a guinea pig and we’ll soon be seeing school mergers and closures nationwide.

The Ministry didn’t say the city would be used as an exemplar for the rest of New Zealand for nothing.

Sure some of those schools need to change and some even want to close. But it should be a fair and proper process so Christchurch determines its own future – not have it imposed from Wellington.

Emergencies always begin with a top-down command structure when emergency services and relief agencies arrive to help.

But over the following weeks and months, there needs to be a fundamental shift to bottom-up leadership.

My experience in relief operations has shown me that when you involve people in the decision-making, they become stronger as individuals and as communities.

After a crisis, people need leaders who are supportive and walk alongside them.

The Government’s approach to schools is symptomatic of a different attitude.

It feels to people here like they no longer have the right to determine their own future or even to have a say.

Cantabrians have been gracious -- but school closures are a tipping point.

The act of empowerment after a disempowering event speeds recovery.

The National Government treats democracy as a barrier rather than a bridge between community and government.

It feels like it is taking advantage of those who are tired, distracted and devastated to push its agenda.

It cancelled the regional council elections until 2016.

It set up the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) with the best of intentions, but it’s accountable to no one but the Government.

It’s time for a genuine Recovery Authority – an independent crown entity – that can be responsible to the people of Christchurch. That’s what we’ve always called for.

A first step is the establishment of a board to oversee its operations and to provide that critical layer of governance between the Minister and the authority. Roger Sutton from CERA should be reporting to a board, not a Minister.

Central government should provide support and obviously there are critical  decisions that will still have to be made.

But when you engage the wider community in a meaningful way, then  those decisions are more easily understood and accepted.

It should be driven from the community up.

It’s about Canterbury being in charge of its own future. There is real fear here that the Government wants the Council to sell income-earning local assets:  Orion, the Port company and the airport.

Christchurch chose not to sell its assets amidst pressure in the 80s and 90s. It wore as a badge of honour the Business Roundtable’s accusation that it was the ‘Peoples’ republic of Christchurch!”

That decision remains part of its local identity today – and its revenue.

The Government’s also announced it’s putting together a transport plan just as Christchurch is working through a consultation process on its own 30-year transport vision.

There’s still no housing plan -- one thing everyone agrees Christchurch desperately needs with rising rents and housing shortages.

I realise that people are working hard to do their best to move quickly, but every time I go to Christchurch the message gets stronger:

“Decisions are made without us.

“We haven’t been given all the information we need.

“We’re not being listened to.

“We’ve been steamrolled.

This is not fair. It’s not right. It’s not the Kiwi way.

The world is watching.

The rebuild of Christchurch is an opportunity – it’s a once in a lifetime chance to rebuild a city based on Cantabrian values.

There’s a good chance that in 2014 Labour will be working with you to lead the recovery of Christchurch.

This is a beautiful city. I went to university here.

Then and now I admire the pride people take in the gardens, the streets, the parks and green zones along the river.

We have the opportunity to build world-leading communities of mixed market and social housing: energy-efficient, well-designed, sustainable homes that enhance the stunning local character and landscape. Our buildings could be a wonder.

Where everyone has confidence in Christchurch – regardless of whether there’s an earthquake -- because they know our buildings have integrity, are the safest in the world, and that they are built from local materials and are distinctly Kiwi.

We need a public transport system that’s clean, streamlined, sustainable and fits the future needs of the city.

There is an opportunity to show how our economy and environment can be enhanced to encourage smart, clean technology companies that are located here to stay here and employ our graduates.

How do we do that?

As Labour we want to be genuinely positive and help the rebuilding of Canterbury.

But increasingly we see a distant, top-down approach limits our own imagination of what Canterbury could be like.

The tales of caring, support and just plain hard times are not easily understood by those from outside Canterbury.

First, there were the earthquakes.

Then there have been the day-to-day stresses of bad roads, cold homes, paying rent on top of a mortgage on a home you can't live in, outstaying your welcome with friends and family and not having enough money to move on.

But disempowerment is in many ways most difficult: what zone you are in, what information you get about that decision, what appeal rights you have, whether your city council has any power, whether your heritage buildings are saved, whether you get a vote for your regional council, and where your local school is.

Closing Christchurch schools without consultation has been the ultimate in top down.

Everyone knows there needs to be change but dropping bombshell like that on an already shell-shocked community is no way to lead a recovery.

Labour wants to re-empower the citizens of Christchurch. You have shown the strength of your communities.

If changes are required to schools in Christchurch, let communities collaborate on local recovery plans.

This is not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it is the best way to ensure that you recover as a strong, vibrant and passionate region.

Labour wants to give Cantabrians the right to be part of the decisions that impact on their lives.

We should be moving into an exciting time right now – contributing and collaborating on clever ideas with real excitement and hope.

Always with Labour it is people who are important.

I truly want to see power put back in your hands.