THE CORPORATE VIEW

No one will be surprised that The Press thinks that Lianne Dalziel's 'revised' long term plan for Christchurch is just great.

THE PRESS has always been a mouthpiece for corporate interests, so it comes as no surprise that it has wholeheartedly backed Lianne Dalzeil's 'revised' long term plan for Christchurch.

Lois Cairns has described the revised LTP as 'clever and pragmatic', despite the fact that it is little different from the original LTP. The only difference is that there will be a minor adjustment to the proposed rate rises and the privatisation plan will be extended out over three years.

Cairns though attempts to sugar the bitter pill. She admits that the rate rises will still be 'significant' but 'will be a little less onerous than originally thought'. And, apparently, extending the schedule of privatisation out over three years is good thing because it gives 'the council more wiggle room'.

It is a woefully pitiful defence of the 'revised' LTP.

Of course this is the same newspaper that lambasted The People's Choice alternative budget. So it is more than ironic that Lois Cairns thinks that the very same councillors The Press was attacking just a few weeks ago should now be supporting Dalziel's new plan for Christchurch.

According to Cairns there is now an 'opportunity' for the Council to find 'unity'. Which is one way of looking at it if you are a supporter of Mayor Dalziel.

A more accurate view would be that the new LTP represents an 'opportunity' for the six People's Choice councilors to throw away their alternative budget and sellout the people of Christchurch by meekly agreeing to a 'revised' LTP that continues a neoliberal agenda.