The Star: September 15, 2016

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Thursday September 15 2016 11
News
Convention Centre’s
costly break up
• By Shelley Robinson
IT IS likely taxpayers will be
stumping up more cash for the
Government’s doomed private
sector relationship for the
Convention Centre project.
The bill paid so far is already at
$5.5 million, but is likely to grow
due to the “close out” process
with the Government’s former
partner Plenary Conventions.
Labour MP Megan Woods said
it was not unusual when a commercial
contract was broken that
compensation was paid.
She asked Minister supporting
Greater Christchurch Regeneration
Gerry Brownlee via a
Parliamentary written question
how much discontinuing the
relationship had cost taxpayers.
Mr Brownlee, in response to
Dr Woods, said the “close out
process” was “ongoing” and
releasing the information could
prejudicially affect negotiations.
In late June, the Government
announced it would go it alone
on the project after the partnership
with Plenary Conventions –
made up of Carter Group headed
by rich-lister Philip Carter and
Ngai Tahu Property – broke
down.
The Star asked Mr Brownlee
questions regarding the close-out
process, including costs, who
conducted the negotiations and
which party ended the relationship.
Mr Brownlee forwarded the
questions to the Department
of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
DPMC said the questions
would have to be analysed under
the Official Information Act due
to legal and contractual issues.
Dr Woods said it was time for
Mr Brownlee to front up and
stop “palming off” questions to
the DPMC.
“Taxpayers deserve to know,
with the mess and delay of the
Convention Centre, (how much
it) is going to cost them. It’s
about holding the Government
to account,” said Dr Woods.
“For a minister not to stand up
and not take responsibility for
a position he is elected to is not
on.”
But Mr Brownlee said he felt
the Government had been as
transparent as it could over the
Convention Centre.
“It is not fair to describe queries
about the Convention Centre
as being “palmed off” to DPMC,
as ministers and Crown agents
have legal, contractual and
commercial constraints, which
opposition MPs do not have,” he
said.
The Convention Centre is expected
to be finished in late 2019.
Council talking
to town hall
insurers again
• By Shelley Robinson
THE CITY council is busy
negotiating with an insurer again
– this time over the town hall.
A $20 million renovation project,
including upgrade of bars
and the James Hay Theatre, was
underway when the earthquakes
struck.
Work to the value of $2.8 million
had been completed before
the town hall was damaged in
the September 4 and Boxing Day,
2010 earthquakes, and finally destroyed
in the February 22, 2011.
The city council’s insurance
claim is for a part of the $2.8
million for work paid for but not
actually completed, general manager
finance and commercial
Peter Gudsell said.
Members of the insurance subcommittee,
comprised of Mayor
Lianne Dalziel, Deputy Mayor
Vicki Buck, Cr Andrew Turner
and Cr Raf Manji, discussed the
problems with progressing the
claim behind closed doors earlier
this month.
What was discussed is not expected
to be released for at least
10 years due to “legal privilege”.
Cr Buck told The Star it was a
“pretty minor” issue.
It is not expected to affect the
$127.5 million rebuild currently
underway.
The city council was embroiled
in insurance negotiations with
the re-insurers of Civic Assurance
and the Local Authority
Protection Programme for about
four years, finally receiving a
global settlement of $635 million
in December.
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ALERT TO CHRISTCHURCH
HOMEOWNERS:
EQC is now asking homeowners
to assess own damage.
"Remedial works letters"
sent to those who've
complained about repair work
carried out by Fletchers EQR
Ask yourself: Why after 6 years
does EQC give you just 30 days to
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it's to reduce EQC's liabilities through
homeowners not really knowing full
quake or repair damage.
• Do you know anything about
foundation damage to your home?
• Can you determine any damage to
your slab under carpets?
• Or if your piles need replacing?
Do you know if your ring foundation
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