Dalziel Lianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDalziel Lianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 02 July 2013. Volume:691;Page:11419. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.Hon LIANNE DALZIEL (Labour—Christchurch East)to theMinister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: When was he first made aware of the September IANZ report which warned the Christchurch City Council that “Continued accreditationbeyond May 2013 will depend on a satisfactory outcome of that assessment” and was he advised by CERA or a Ministerial colleague?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery):I was advised on 7 June that International Accreditation New Zealand had had concerns about the Christchurch City Council consenting process from as far back as 2007. At that point I decided that this situation was intolerable and we have been taking action since that time. We will have further discussions with the city council tomorrow because this situation cannot continue.Hon Lianne Dalziel: How did the Minister not know about the assessment report that was prepared by International Accreditation New Zealand back in September given to the council in October and copied to the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment the same month; were they not monitoring that process and did the Minister not bring it to the Cabinet committee?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: I certainly knew that the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment had been working with the Christchurch City Council for a very long period of time and I have on numerous occasions expressed to the city council concerns about its consenting processes. But I would note that the Christchurch City Council has at all times been responsible for its own consenting. There has been quite a bit of public concern about the degree to which the Government was getting involved in council activities; most of that was expressed by the member asking these questions.Hon Lianne Dalziel: Is the Minister telling the House that he was not aware that the September International Accreditation New Zealand review identified building consents that did not meet the requirements of the code and/or the Act these having the potential to cause damage to the property other adjoining property or injury to people; if so how on earth is this the coordination role that we are expecting from the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: If I were to know that level of detail from inside the council then the allegations made by the member that we have been overly meddling in council affairs might be reasonable. The reality is that it is now exposed we are very unhappy with it and we are doing something about it.Hon Lianne Dalziel: Is the Minister telling the House that there was nobody within the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority tasked to go next door to the council building to see how it was getting on with accreditation when it was given 17 corrective action requests in September reported to it in October and obviously was not met because now we have the situation with the Christchurch City Council losing its accreditation next Monday?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Firstly I have already said that the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment was working with the council for quite a time on its issues. But I would also point out to the member that she wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on 4 December lamenting in her words the loss of democracy in Christchurch referring to the dictatorial and disempowering nature of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s involvement in Christchurch and now she comes into the House and says “Although we were criticising the department for being involved we actually think they should have been more involved.” Well I am grateful to the member that we have at least one mayoral candidate in the Christchurch election who wants the Government to get more involved with the council. We will certainly take that invitation up should the unlikely event of her winning occur.Hon Lianne Dalziel: I wish to table the three International Accreditation New Zealand reports—the one from 24-28 September 2012 the one from Monday 27 May 2013 and the most recent one which is dated 1 July 2013.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table those three International Accreditation New Zealand reports. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. They can be tabled.Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: I seek leave to table the open letter to the Prime Minister sent by the Hon Lianne Dalziel quoting even the Chief Human Rights Commissioner lamenting—Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought—[Interruption ] That is enough information. Leave is sought to table the open letter. Is there any objection? There is none. It will also be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.