Peters vows to rebuild cathedral

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has pledged to get a project to rebuild Christ Church Cathedral started after the election, if no action is taken before then.

“The Government has the ball in its hands. It has been sitting there for a long time,” Peters said in a speech at Cathedral Square yesterday.

“It’s time to play ball. And you have my personal undertaking that if the Government doesn’t start now we will start this project after the next election.”

Peters said Christchurch locals were right to call the building “our Cathedral”, given the number of events held there, including many non-religious events.

“It has been six years. We know the cathedral is legally owned by the Anglican Church. So, some heat must go there for its inability to resolve its own problem,” Peters said.

Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Nicky Wagner needed to tell the church to accept a programme to restore the cathedral and keep its gothic style and heritage “as far as is practical”.

This month Bishop Victoria Mathews announced it would be at least September before the Anglican Church in Christchurch makes its decision on the future of the cathedral.

Mathews said the decision will no longer be in the hands of the Church Property Trustees. Instead, the Synod will decide the future of the cathedral when members meet in September.

Wagner has called the delay in a decision on the cathedral “deeply disappointing”, after hopes for a breakthrough.