12 September 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT

Brownlee losing touch with the people

Gerry Brownlee’s astonishing attack on some Christchurch residents as “moaners and carpers” shows he doesn’t understand the massive impact that the uncertainty is causing, says Labour’s Earthquake Recovery spokesperson Lianne Dalziel.

“To tell TC3 residents that they don’t understand the magnitude of the disaster in the own city is nothing short of insulting. The Minister clearly doesn’t understand how debilitating this process has been for people.

“Gerry Brownlee seems to have forgotten himself. It’s his job to listen to and support all Cantabrians. We’re all in this together but the Minister seems to think the only ones that matter are those who suffer in silence.

“How dare he suggest that because his family home is TC3 that he knows what it is like to stay living in a terribly damaged property on a broken street right next to red-zoned land, suffering related health impacts and wondering what the future will bring.

“Gerry Brownlee should apologise for criticising the community for initiating their own survey when it has taken so long for CERA to start gathering information about the impact on the people. We have said from the outset that people need timelines. The Minister should listen and not attack.

“He accuses others of losing sight of the problem, well Gerry Brownlee is losing sight of the people. He is way out of line and needs to say sorry.”

ends

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