The race for Christchurch votes has become the dominant theme of the election. And it will not be cheap for the taxpayer, political editor Dene Mackenzie reports.
The bidding for Christchurch votes has continued throughout June, with Labour coming to the party yesterday with announcements concerning a Canterbury housing recovery.
The Government has already increased its committed spend to the Christchurch rebuild to about $40 billion, with no assurance this will be the end of the spending.
Labour trails well behind the Government, which has announcements coming out regularly in support of the Canterbury rebuild. National needs to retain the party vote in the Canterbury electorates to ensure it retains power after the September 20 election.
Other regions of New Zealand are not being ignored but they are being sidelined as the race for Canterbury votes continues.
Labour is a latecomer to the Canterbury bidding contest, but is trying to catch up. Yesterday's policy announcement was uncosted. On Monday, Labour will announce a ''Canterbury health policy''.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee pulled a masterstroke on June 19 by announcing he was using the powers of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act to allow for more timely redevelopment of the damaged Lyttelton Port.
Years will be shaved off the port company's $1 billion redevelopment plan through the actions of Mr Brownlee.
Other announcements from the Government include. -
• Holding off the review of Environment Canterbury until after the election.
• Spending $200,000 to provide Christchurch pupils in low-decile schools with better access to digital learning.
• Providing $100,000 for new initiatives for young Cantabrians and temporary accommodation relief for flood victims.
• Giving $500,000 to the Christchurch City Council towards the repair and recovery of the Akaroa Museum.
Labour yesterday promised. -
• To build 10,000 affordable Kiwibuild homes in Canterbury over four years, providing the first 3000 of those homes as affordable rentals.
• To build 100 temporary homes immediately to boost the stock of temporary emergency housing in the first three months.
• To increase the accommodation supplement for Christchurch by up to $50 a week until the housing crisis is fixed.
Earlier, Labour earthquake recovery spokeswoman Ruth Dyson announced Labour would ensure all owners of red-zoned properties in Canterbury would receive a buyout offer of 100% of the 2007 rateable value of their homes.
With less than three months until the election, the proposed spending of taxpayer money in Christchurch, often at the expense of regional New Zealand, is set to increase exponentially.