1885: St James Mt Eden, Part II; Conjuring a Demolition

“[We] strongly urge the Auckland Council to consider that the safety of life takes precedence over the historic value of a building,” – ibid

So it’s a game of rock/paper/scissors going on here but it’s Safety vs Historic Value vs Commerce. And which one beats which? Paper beats rock but does Historic Value trump Commerce? I think so. Therefore they bring in Public Safety to beat Historic Value, then will follow that up with Commerce to take the prize…

[image- Phil Pennington, the architect of this spin piece]

“We have no authority to shut the footpath..” – Other Presbyterian Trustee

Since 2012: “The council is investigating..”- Steve Pearce, Auckland Council Red Tape Guy

Beat up Council fear of liability for public safety to force their hand. Nothing gets bureaucrats jumping faster to ‘help’ than the idea they might get into trouble!

 “..expert advice which stated that…not at imminent risk of collapse nor is it beyond point of being safely repaired.”- ibid

So the nonsense about safety is fake news anyway!

Thanks for the excuse to give some more public money away to our friend who owns an engineering company though…

“we have engaged an additional engineering firm to carry out another structural engineering assessment.”- ibid

Think of the school children..

“The risk for a kid walking past..it’s not a risk I’d want to take.”- Oishin Frost, No 8 Engineering

No 8 Engineering who are paid by View West (developer) who want to buy and smash. What else would they say?

Frost again: “when this wall collapses,” “We can’t take the risk with anyone’s safety”

More catastrophising language. Does that cost extra in these reports?

Another guy reading Frost’s report is able to make non-engineering comments:

“very low strength” with “extensive cracking”- Eric Simeone, Calibre Consulting

Eric Simeone. A simple gravity load in human form

Quite clever Matrix Politics isn’t it? Can’t put your professional engineering reputation on the line saying this but you can get another engineer to “review” your professional report and he’s just free to shoot from the hip…

“It could collapse under simple gravity load.”- Simeone

That’s the very best line of all! Possibly liberally inferred by the willing Phil Pennington, The Great Composer of this item, since it’s not in quotations.

“The council or the church should inform the people, give them warning”- Random wench Pennington says he met on the street

Back to rattling the liability sabre.

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Images:
The Church
Fake News RNZ hack: Phil Pennington
A Simple Gravity Load: Eric Simeone