The Press has the bad news: Canterbury will become a dictatorship:
The Press understands Environment Canterbury councillors will be replaced, following a decision made during a telephone conference with ministers in Wellington this morning.If the government sticks to the report, then the people of Canterbury will not be allowed a vote over who controls their water until 2013. In the meantime, a government crony will give away those resources to National's farmer-supporters, allowing the aquifers to be sucked dry and the rivers to be filled with shit. They will make out like bandits from selling environmentally unsustainable milk; we will be left to drink cowpiss and swim in cowshit.ECan councillors were meeting at their Kilmore Street offices at 10.30am for a telephone conference with Environment Minister Nick Smith and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide.
Former National deputy prime minister Wyatt Creech's report into failings at ECan recommended sacking its 14 elected councillors and replacing them with appointed commissioners.
I've just heard that the House will be put into urgency this afternoon to pass the required legislation. All three stages, with no select committee hearing. Democracy in Canterbury will be gone by 10pm tonight. If you live in Christchurch, you might want to speak up about that outside your local National MP's electorate office while you still have the chance.
