Could you believe it, Bob “Smiley-Face” Parker, has been given a Knighthood.
He’s the guy that got voted in as mayor, again, just after the September 2010 earthquake (which did only comparatively minor damage in Christchurch City, but should have been a big wake-up call, coming as it did BEFORE the devastating February 2011 ‘quake).
Most of the 186 deaths in the February 2011 EQ can be laid at the then council’s feet, as council policy regarding the inspection of buildings and fencing off of possibly dangerous buildings, was manifestly insufficient. (One Red Sticker on the CTV building, would have saved 115 lives. It has come out in investigations that in 1986 the Christchurch City Council allowed the CTV building to be built, knowing it did not meet minimum earthquake codes, because some dude, a big name in Christchurch constructions, personally phoned the council and spoke to someone there).
Bob Parker was a minor TV personality a couple of decades ago, so he always comes across good on camera, he has a smiley face and idiots keep voting for him.
Under his stewardship, Christchurch City Council had severely undervalued and under insured its assets for years, and consequently only has insurance coverage for less than half of Earthquake damage costs. Chch ratepayers will be paying through the nose for decades to come for the council’s incompetence.
Here’s a link to the Press Newspaper story on the Stuff (Fairfax) website.
Southern Isles Reporter 