The battle for ECan!

ANNA LEASK | 29th June 2007

The local body elections are heating up with a major square-off looming between Sir Kerry Burke and former National MP Alec Neill for one of Christchurch's most powerful positions.

Mr Neill indicated yesterday that he is likely to contest the chairmanship of Environment Canterbury again, a position he lost by one vote to Sir Kerry in 2004.

Both Sir Kerry and Mr Neill have strong political groupings behind them: 2021 (Burke) and Independent Citizens (Neill).

2021 is launching a major attack on the city council table as well this year, with Dr Megan Woods as its mayoral candidate.

But Independent Citizens appears to be putting all its efforts into ECan, the organisation which oversees issues like air pollution, public transport and water quality in Canterbury and Christchurch.

"We're going to run a well-oiled campaign and we're going to give 2021 a real run for their money," Mr Neill said yesterday.

Independent Citizens announced its team yesterday, saying eight candidates would run for ECan: five more than in 2004.

Two were successful, Mr Neill and Nicky Wagner. Six from 2021 made it onto the 14-seat ECan table.

Independent Citizens' Errold Paynter made it obvious yesterday that it would be fighting the campaign on party lines.

"The community do not wish for central party political involvement at local government level& the community will have a choice," he said of 2021.

However, Sir Kerry said Independent Citizens would not be a threat, and were in disarray.

"I think we've been very successful and if the city wishes to maintain the commitment and the progress that this council has made, they can translate that into votes for 2021," he said.

"They haven't been able to find a mayoral candidate (for the city council), and as I look at their list there are a whole list of positions across the city that they haven't selected candidates for."

Mr Neill said all political groups and individuals seeking seats on ECan would be campaigning on the same issues - clean air, clean water, protecting our underground aquifers, public passenger transport and supporting the urban development strategy.

"But we offer in addition to that a strong business background, common sense and to ensure that we are fiscally responsible, operating at the best possible cost to the ratepayer."

Mr Neill said 2021 was a pseudo Labour Party at a local level.

"I personally believe there's no place for party political affiliations at local government level and for this reason in 2007 we are running a full ticket at ECan to breach the 2021 Labour dominance."

However Sir Kerry said 2021 came from many political persuasions - left, right and centre.

"We've come from a broad spectrum. We're not a narrow partisan group," he said.

Mr Neill said the key focus of the campaign was Christchurch North. The retirement of 2021's Judy Waters had opened the door for change in that area. The support she had built up would evaporate, Mr Neill said. He believed voters had been loyal to Mrs Waters, not 2021, which opened an opportunity for Independent Citizens.