The Christchurch mayor has told a select committee hearing she wants the bill governing the rebuilding of Canterbury to be new legislation, not just a reworking of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel Photo: RNZ / Conan Young
The Local Government and Environment select committee is hearing submissions in Christchurch on the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill.
The bill will establish new agency Regenerate Christchurch, which will take over from the Earthquake Recovery Authority.
The bill was the most significant opportunity for the city since the earthquake sequence started five years ago, Mayor Leanne Dalziel said.
Ms Dalziel said it represented a chance for a real legacy.
"Reading the submission you could be forgiven for thinking that perhaps we weren't that keen on elements of the bill," she said.
"But as we said, we think that the fault lies with using an amendment process to the existing legislation, which was designed under urgency, under extreme pressure, and I think that's where the fundamental flaws arise from."
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee at the announcement of the next phase in the rebuild of Christchurch. Photo: RNZ / Sally Murphy
The council had come up with a new plan on how to create the legislation, which allows Regenerate Christchurch to lead the way in the areas it covered, Ms Dalziel said.
If successful, the new plan could be used as a model for how to set up after any future disaster, she said.