ChCh local elections - postpone due to earthquake?

Hey, my name is jennifer and im living in dunedin my friend shayna, we r vry sad abwt wat has happend in chch and we r doing al we can, we also have a room free if anyone wud like to get away frm chch, no strings, jus a roof over ur head, a warm bed and nice warm food and clean water! 0273930019 And also I think boa parker is amazing, u wudnt belve wat hed be doen behnd the scenes.

Hey Ryan, There are Aucklanders gladly helping you to rebuild your village. In fact the whole country cares and is trying to help you.

Bob Parker has not done a 'magnificent job' as so many seem to think. What he has done is attend briefing sessions and had a multitude of meetings that he is required, as Mayor, to attend and then taken up every interview opportunity to talk about what happened in the briefings and meetings - perhaps he should have declined the odd pointless interview and taken 60 seconds to run an electric shaver over his face. But, of course, a clean shaven Bob might not look as 'gritty' on camera. He's had too much TV experience to make that mistake. Someone incessantly saying in a near-infinite number of ways that 'Christchurch people are suffering' is not leadership. Increasingly, what it is looking suspiciously like is a combination of media savvy and emotional opportunism. The election should be delayed so that people have a chance to give their decision the consideration it deserves - and I speak as a stressed Christchurch resident who has had just about enough of Bob Parker milking our situation for all it's worth. For God's sake, we have people not in their homes, some who have fled to elsewhere in the country to get out of their predicaments and a sizable proportion of the population who are under huge stress, with traumatised children, uncertain employment and looking at months living in temporary accommodation. The next months will simply be about managing personal and family recovery, not thinking about the next three years of governance. That's no situation to run a 'free and fair' election. Under Parker's leadership, this council has operated in an appalling manner and made highly questionable decisions involving multiple millions of dollars in extremely dubious ways. I'm not going to forget that.

Polictics aside Bob Parker has done a magnificenet job, in a very genuine human way without judgements and has really advocated for his city!

Last Sunday really very unimpressed by Duncan Gardener on The Nation attempting to do " a pressing interview" with a aggressive attitude that wasn't nessescary for the occasion with Bob Parker. He came off looking really arrogant and very Auckland and completely off in terms of timing.

I dont think that Chch ppl are very sound at the moment I say wait till at least they start to rebuild. I think Bob Parker is doing a very good job and of course it has been a strain for him especially when he has put other ppl priority in his township before himself. I think hes done a magificent job even if I am not down there and anyway good luck to him, if he wants the vote to continue at least give them a couple of months until at least they have a fair indication where they are going.

I just hope that people realise, that it was the Mayors job to front the city when the earthquake happened, and it was unfortunate that it happened to be Bob Parker, who of course does a great job in front of the cameras, he is after all just a show pony who loves the cameras. I do not have a short memory. I have even heard that Chch should keep Bob Parker, as he will get us up and running again. I am sure he is not going to be the one that digs, and hammers. What Chch will need is a group of very influential business people to form a 'company' and get the city up and running, without any political crap involved.

Go Jim - shame the TV cameras have not been following you, although you probably prefer they aren't, as you have probably been getting down and dirty.

Ernst: What the hell are you talking about?! How does this have any relevance to Auckland?

No, don't postpone it. Keep Parker as the mayor, don't vote for that
'triple-dipper' anderton.....he is a charlatan !

Over the years there have been many mutterings about the South Island not needing the North. What is the feeling now, all you who have treated me with disdain on my visits in the past because I came from Auckland? Oh yes have your elections, especially if it means keeping Jim Anderton in the South Island.

No, they should not be delayed. People need to just get back to normal. There is no reason someone can't put a tick in a box and post it. Really people, stop needing excuses. Get a life and get on with it. If you can't make it to the post box, ask a friend or neighbour.

No reason to delay them. Why would people need time to recover before they can tick a box and stick an envelope in the mail?