It looks like the rebuilding of Christchurch will happen, if it happens at all, without the folk who built it in the first place--“as quake-weary CBD property owners start using their insurance money to buy new buildings in Auckland and overseas.”
And why wouldn’t they? For one year they’ve been kept from their buildings and treated like mushrooms—allowed to visit to extract the important tools of their business only for ten minutes at a time, and only after loud and repeated protests; not even given the courtesy of consultation about the demolition of their own bloody buildings; and then told by the ruling junta what grand plan they intend to impose on property-owners’ property, with or without their consent.
So why would property-owners stay and re-invest there, now that they’re newly liquid?
It’s terribly sad. But I did say this would happen.
5 comments:
This quote for the article says it all really:
"Most central Christchurch property owners were not developers and would rather buy a building in Auckland than grapple with a consents hearing, tougher building standards and the ongoing shadow of possible Government intervention in Christchurch"
Thanks for the post PC. What they are doing to Christchurch is a tragedy,
Julian
I am only slightly ashamed to admit that I do enjoy seeing real people bailing out of the government vice and setup shop elsewhere.
There was a guy who posted in the comments on the stuff.co.nz article that he had troubling finding work as a builders apprentice!
Here is a city in ruins and a year later a builder can't find a job!
I have a builder friend nearby, he is out of work. Dead keen to temporary relocate to Christchurch to work. Yet, despite all the promises, it keeps being delayed changed and shifted. He is still here and still not working.
Why are politicians always so surprised when the response to their solutions is capital flight?
Thanks for this post PC. We are collating stories and interviewing businesspeople from the inner city red zone who have stories to tell about their treatment by the Christchurch City Council, CERA, Civil Defence and Central Government. We would love to hear from anyone who would like to share their story. Please email:
eqnzstories@gmail.com
Thanks
"Why are politicians always so surprised when the response to their solutions is capital flight?"
Because they believe they have a right to that money. They believe that there will always be "greedy" entrepreneurs who can be bled in order to keep promises they make to stay in power.
Afterall, they're doing it for "the greater good..."
Economic illiteracy while pervasive among the general populace, is most dangerous in politicians.
KSKiwi.
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