Peters critical of cathedral debacle
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has pledged to restore the derelict Christ Church Cathedral if he holds power after the election.
Peters stood in front of the earthquake-damaged church yesterday to lambast the Government for not taking control of its restoration ‘‘years ago’’ and offering to pay only $10 million of the estimated $104m repair bill.
A deal brokered by the Government’s Cathedral Working Group aimed for restoration funded by the Anglican’s $42m insurance payout, a $10m government grant, a $15m government loan and a $15m funding pledge from the lobby group the Greater Christchurch Buildings Trust. That left tens of millions of dollars to be found through fundraising.
‘‘I think that there can be donations made to bring up the funds considerably, but the Government’s got to make a far bigger injection than that,’’ Peters told a crowd of about 300 people.
‘‘They have dished out money like an eight-armed octopus to a whole lot of unworthy causes. This is a seriously worthy cause and they should rectify it. If they don’t start rebuilding before the 23rd of September, we will start the day after.’’
Peters’ comments are contingent on New Zealand First being in government from that point. He was bullish about his party’s prospects.
‘‘There’s one party that’s going to have significant influence after the election that’s making a statement right here and now.’’
The working party’s deal was tabled in December but never agreed to. Bishop Victoria Matthews said it was removed and replaced with a different deal in February. Then Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Gerry Brownlee said the contribution never changed.
Matthews announced last week that Canterbury’s Anglican synod would vote on the deal in September. The electoral process allows for three votes: one each for the bishop, the clergy and lay members. Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Nicky Wagner wants a deal made with Anglican leaders before then. Yesterday, Peters agreed with her on that much.
‘‘There’s no need to wait for the church’s synod in September to deliberate, which is what the Bishop wants,’’ he said.
‘‘The church needs to know they’re expected in the community and by central government to restore this building.’’
Wagner dismissed Peters’ comments as ‘‘grandstanding’’ but said she was happy to work with him to expedite a restoration deal.
‘‘I think that Winston suddenly turning up in Christchurch before each election and having potshots at everybody is not very helpful.
‘‘We invited New Zealand First to be part of the solution and they refused to come to the meetings we had last week.
‘‘He said exactly the same thing in 2014 and I haven’t heard a dicky bird from him since.’’
"He said exactly the same thing in 2014 and I haven't heard a dicky bird from him since." Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Nicky Wagner