■ TEDxEqChch Marryatt’s legal action criticised

Nicole Mathewson ern suburbs residents,’’ [email protected] Lynch said. Lynch said he paid his Taking ratepayer-funded legal rates bill at the civic head- action against quarters on Friday, but ‘‘as a councillors is ‘‘extraordinary final symbolic gesture’’ behaviour’’ from a chief refused to pay this year’s 7.5 executive, and Tony Marryatt per cent increase until Marry- was lucky to get his legal costs att handed back the rest of reimbursed, an employment last year’s pay increase. law expert says. Wider Earthquake Com- Last week it emerged munities Action Network Christchurch City Council spokesman Mike Coleman chief executive Tony Marry- said Marryatt’s actions att filed a personal grievance showed he ‘‘does not have his against city councillors on heart here’’. April 18, two months after ‘‘Each time he has had a 4000 people protested outside chance to show he backs the the civic headquarters Tony Marryatt people of this city, he has against his controversial failed,’’ Coleman said. $68,000 pay rise. He believed Marryatt was Public relations consultant Six of the then 13 city ‘‘lucky’’ to have his legal costs David Lynch said he believed Cardboard capers: Californian artist Kiel Johnson helps construct a three-dimensional cardboard Christchurch on the seventh floor of Press House as part of the TEDxEqChch event. councillors were also at the reimbursed, as the protest issues of staff performance led Photos: DEAN KOZANIC/FAIRFAX NZ protest, which called on the was not organised by the to problems at the council Government to dismiss council as a whole. which resulted in Marryatt Marryatt. Those councillors who being publicly criticised. The grievance was settled attended had done so indepen- A week before Christmas, before it went to the Employ- dently. Marryatt was given a $68,129 ment Court. Marryatt did not ‘‘I would have thought it’s pay rise backdated to July 1, Hundreds turn up to rebuild city receive a pay-out, but the a matter, really, to sort out taking his total salary to council reimbursed his legal with his employer, the coun- $538,529. Georgina Stylianou costs – understood to be cil . . . to try to resolve the At first he accepted the pay [email protected] between $10,000 and $30,000. matter internally.’’ increase, but later said he Employment lawyer Peter Peter Lynch, who organ- would decline the bulk of the Every earthquake-ravaged Cullen, of Cullen Law, said ised the February protest, money after the big public city needs a superhero and a yesterday Marryatt’s actions said he was ‘‘completely and outcry and a meeting with 6-year-old boy made sure were ‘‘extraordinary behav- utterly gobsmacked and out- then local government minis- Christchurch got one. iour’’. raged’’ by Marryatt’s actions. ter Nick Smith and Earth- Hundreds of people spent While Marryatt was not Marryatt should have put quake Recovery Minister yesterday afternoon the first local government the matter ‘‘to bed’’, rather . constructing a cardboard chief executive to file a than file a personal grievance He said he would return version of Christchurch as grievance against his council, case, he said. the $26,000 he had already part of the TEDxEqChch he was the first Cullen had ‘‘He again is not thinking accumulated when council- event that was held at the heard of where the complain- of the vast majority of the lors started together effect- weekend. ant stayed in his role. overworked, underpaid east- ively, but is yet to do so. Children with paint smeared across their faces ran around happily while their parents manipulated glue guns, scissors and coloured paper. Building saved at 11th hour The fictional representation of the afternoon with the kids Help from on high: Christchurch featured and with other people, too . . . Benson Geary, 6, builds a Joelle Dally firm which is based in they wished to retain the everything from storm clouds it’s not very often that so superhero to look after [email protected] Australia. Demolition had stone facade on the corner of to the Avon River, to many people come together to the city with the help of already started but was halted Kilmore and Montreal streets. spaceships and community do arts and crafts.’’ his dad, Simon, above, as One of Christchurch’s most while discussions were held. There was ‘‘a mix of gardens. Event co-ordinator and part of a TEDxEqChch iconic pieces of heritage looks Annabel Sheppard, the emotion’’ among the unit Benson Geary, 6, made a Californian artist Kiel event hosted by The set to be saved. lawyer acting for the body owners. superhero ‘‘to save the city’’. Johnson said he was ‘‘totally Press yesterday, and, Cranmer Courts unit corporate, said the last of the ‘‘It was a difficult process ‘‘Making the cape was the overwhelmed’’ by the number right, sends it on a spin owners have voted unani- owners of the 33 units signed as they had a relatively short best bit and now I just have to of people who attended the over the cardboard city. mously to accept an offer from their agreement to sell on period to make a major wait for the paint to dry . . . event. across the Tasman to pur- Saturday morning. decision,’’ she said. we’re going to hang it [from ‘‘We’ve got people waiting chase the entire site – which understands the ‘‘Most people are pleased to the ceiling] above the city,’’ he outside and it’s just incredible includes saving the historic offer was for about $7 million, have an opportunity to pro- said. that so many people have got facade. on top of the $19m already ceed with their future.’’ His father Simon said the involved. There’s some cool The demolition contract secured through insurance. Sheppard said there had event was ‘‘a fantastic idea’’. ideas coming out, too.’’ has been subsequently Sheppard said the agree- been consultation with the ‘‘It’s really creative and ‘‘If the rebuild is anything cancelled. ment was conditional on the Canterbury Earthquake people are rebuilding the city like this project then you’ve seventh floor of Press House The Cranmer Courts body purchaser doing ‘‘due dili- Recovery Authority to ‘‘get to with what they think is got nothing to worry about.’’ in Gloucester St, is also open corporate received a proposal gence’’, and final confir- this point’’. important.’’ Hagley Park, Cathedral to the public today from 11am to buy the entire site, mation was not expected for a The heritage-listed build- He said his daughter Alice Square and the planned green to 7pm. including the nine occupied few weeks. ing was red-stickered after the had made him a Father’s Day frames were included in the town houses, through Risk She did not know the February 2011 earthquake ring. cardboard blueprint. ❯❯ Worldwide, an international purchasers’ long-term plans and residents spent $1m ‘‘It’s a great way to spend The event, held on the More photos A4 disaster insurance recovery for the site but understood stabilising it.

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