Gerry Brownlee 'tells off' the insurance industry - pity he's several months too late.
In the immediate aftermath of the February 2011 earthquake, there was a whole load of profit gouging going down. Various businesses demonstrated the true meaning of the ' free market' when they decided that it would be a good idea to exploit the desperation of Christchurch people and arbitrarily put their prices up.
This upset the Minister for Earthquake Recovery. Gerry Brownlee beat his chest and warned that he would 'name and shame' businesses caught profiteering.
But despite the bravado, he didn't 'name and shame' one single business - despite the fact that profiteering was rampant.
Several months later, landlords have raised their rents to unjustified levels and our hero has again done nothing. This time he has gone one 'better' and claimed there is no housing crisis in Christchurch and that the market will sort things out. So - there's nothing for our Gerry to do!
Last week Brownlee decided that he probably needed to complain about the insurances companies. The insurance industry has been dragging its heels in settling thousands of claims causing all manner of financial hardship and stress. The insurance companies have gone as far as to say that it could take up to eight years to settle some claims.
Brownlee finally woke from his slumbers.
'Talk of five to eight-year time frames for settlement or repairs is unacceptable.' he moaned last week.
But the insurance companies have worked out Brownlee and have called his bluff.
National insurance Council chief executive Chris Ryan said Brownlee should say which companies were at fault.
"He's got to identify, if there are issues, which companies he's referring to. What we're getting here is general statements without specific details. ' said Ryan, the man who claimed earlier this year - without any evidence - that some arson cases in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch were probably 'insurance jobs'.
Do you think Brownlee will 'name and shame' this time round? Of course he won't - and the insurance industry know he'll do nothing.
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