Canterbury Mornings

A Great Christchurch Building Trust spokesperson says a controversial farewell speech from the city's departing Anglican bishop was unnecessary.The Bishop delivered a scathing final sermon on Sunday, directing criticism at the City Council, the Great Christchurch Building Trust.Victoria Matthews says it's become a "silly dance" where everyone is waiting for the first party to put forward their financial contribution.But Phillip Burdon told Chris Lynch the fundraising committee hasn't formally been set up yet.Philip Burdon says it's unfortunate Victoria Matthews chose her farewell reflections to attempt to polarise a debate that is over.   

Departing Anglican Bishop Victoria Matthews believes Christchurch is ruled by an old boys network, and has been for generations.The Bishop's used her final sermon to heavily criticise the City Council and Great Christchurch Building Trust for their inaction over the Christchurch Cathedral. She has since told Chris Lynch while her time in Christchurch before the earthquake was a very pleasant experience it went south after February 2011.Matthews also criticised the council for its lack of action in the east of the city saying its focus on restoring business has come in the expense of the people.

A high-ranking UK academic says international mainstream media is failing audiences when it comes to the war in Syria and have been far too quick to accept the US led narrative.  Piers Robinson, Professor of politics, society and political journalism at the University of Sheffield told Chris Lynch that Western Governments have learned nothing in past 15 years when it comes to propaganda. 

A lack of action in the East Frame has prompted a Christchurch City Councillor to call for Fletcher Building to be stripped of a contract to build 900 townhouses and apartments.Work on the first residential area along Manchester Street began last year, and earthworks are underway on the site for another 94 homes.But councillor Jamie Gough says there's been hardly any progress. He told Chris Lynch "You'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb to think Fletcher's are doing a good job with the eastern frame, they're not. They we're asked to deliver something in a period of time, they have not delivered it in that time". Gough wants each super block to be tendered out to companies which will be capable of delivering what the city needs.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel spoke to Chris Lynch and issued an apology on behalf of the council to dog owners who received letters saying that their dogs classified as menacing must be muzzled at all times. She also discusses City Councillor Jamie Gough's comments on facebook about Fletchers and the future of Harley Chambers building.  

Owners of menacing dog breeds are celebrating after a Christchurch City Council apology for issuing incorrect information over muzzling laws.Last week the council's animal management unit sent a letter to 159 such dog owners ... which said their dogs must be muzzled at all times, unless secured in a cage or vehicle.But the Council has since back-tracked ... saying menacing dogs don't need to be muzzled when they are inside their owner's house or contained securely within the property.Abbey van der Plas from the Christchurch Bull Breed Rescue told Chris Lynch she still can't believe council sent the letters in the first place.

Questions over whether missile strikes in Syria will actually end its use of chemical weapons.The UK, US and France carried out the attacks, following a suspected poison gas attack in Douma.Chris Lynch spoke to Emma Beals an independent journalist who has focused on the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and the rise of ISIS since 2012, who says the worst is yet to come. 

Homeless people seeking hardship grants from Work and Income to buy tents to live in is a sign of how bad the housing crisis is, Housing Minister Phil Twyford says.But he and Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni are putting an end to the practice."Work and Income New Zealand, it turns out, have been providing tents for people who are homeless."When I heard about this I immediately spoke to Minister Carmel Sepuloni, Minister of Social Development and she decided with me that that's not acceptable. The Government doesn't provide tents for homeless people. We'll put a roof over their heads."So we've knocked that policy on the head," Twyford told Newstalk ZB's Chris Lynch today.One News reported on Thursday that in the past year 20 families had asked for hardship grants through Work and Income to buy a tent to live in."We were shocked by it. It might have been OK under the former National Government, it's not OK under ours," Twyford said.He said Work and Income had been told that the policy was unacceptabl

Chris Lynch was joined by Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration Megan Woods and National MP Nicky Wagner for the weekly discussion on the political issues affecting Canterbury.

Eight derelict central Christchurch sites remain untouched almost a year after being listed among the city's "Dirty 30" properties. What is happening with these eyesores? What is the council doing about it?Chris Lynch spoke to Christchurch City Council's Head of Urban regeneration Carolyn Ingles to discuss this

Chris Lynch spoke to Aaron Keown about water use in the city, and is it time we start paying for household water use.

Chris Lynch spoke to Dr Nick Cross, Clinical Director of the National Renal Transplant Service, and Medical Specialist in the Nephrology Department at Christchurch Hospital about the importance of organ donation.

Animal behavior expert Mark Vette spoke to Chris Lynch about the Christchurch City Council's letter to owner's of dogs classified as menacing telling them to muzzle their dogs in their own home.A spate of attacks prompted the Council's animal management unit to advise 159 owners of dogs labelled menacing of the new rule. 

Chris Lynch spoke to Abbey van der Plas from Christchurch Bull Breed Rescue after the Christchurch City Council's animal management unit sent a letter to 159 owners of dogs classified as menacing – either by breed or because they have attacked or shown aggressive tendencies –  outlining the animals must be muzzled at all times, unless secured in a cage or vehicle. Dog owners are furious after being told they must muzzle their "menacing" pets even inside their own house. 

Chris Lynch spoke to SPCA Canterbury CEO Barry Helem about the letter some Christchurch dog owners received instructing them that their dogs need to be muzzled at all times, including when they are in their homes. 

Matthew McEachen was only metres from safety when the facade of the building he was working in collapsed and killed him during the February 2011 earthquake.Now seven years on his family and friends are still waiting for answers and an apology from the property manager who failed to tell the tenant that an engineer had found the building "structurally unsafe to occupy" after the September 2010 earthquake.Matthew's father Bruce McEachen spoke to Chris Lynch about the next steps for the family.

New Zealand Dermatological Society President Dr Paul Jarrett told Chris Lynch there's a chronic under investment in publicly funded dermatology across the country.He says the resignations (in Christchurch) are a symptom of the stress under which the senior medical officers are working.Dr Jarrett says the New Zealand public cannot be reassured that if their skin fails that there would be a suitably qualified specialist within a reasonable distance to supervise their care.He says there is approximately, overall, one dermatologist working in public per 270,000 of the national population of New Zealand which he says is a "third world statistic in my view."Dr Jarrett says Christchurch, along with other DHBs, deserves a good publicly funded dermatology service.A Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman says the DHB has no plans to withdraw the service.She says current staffing shortfalls are being addressed via an “active recruitment drive” and they’re hoping to appoint a consultant to work alongside a medical

Chris Lynch had Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel in studio today for her weekly catch up. They talked about the water supply chlorination, a raised fuel tax and what it means for the city's road and the Long Term Plan. 

Gerry Brownlee spoke to Chris Lynch to respond to claims from Minister Megan Woods that the previous Government willfully denied the scale of the quakes.Brownlee said "I'm not surprised that the cost has run up but what's the alternative?"

Chris Lynch spoke to Minister Responsible for EQC Megan Woods and National MP Nicky Wagner about the bill for EQC re-repairs hitting $270 million, over $200 million above the $70 million predicted by the previous National Government.