The Christ Church Cathedral, damaged by the February 2011 earthquake. Photo / Logan Church
The Christ Church Cathedral, damaged by the February 2011 earthquake. Photo / Logan Church
ACT leader David Seymour has slammed the government's handling of the Christchurch rebuild saying the city is still in two halves.
Seymour is on the campaign trail in Christchurch today and was on Canterbury Mornings with Newstalk ZB's Chris Lynch.
When asked about his thoughts on the rebuild in the central city, he said it seems like there are still "two Christchurchs".
"You've got the bit in the middle that the government took responsibility for and tried to centrally plan and then you've got the very vibrant outside where everybody has moved to get on with free enterprise.
"I just look at this situation and say, what the hell."
Newstalk ZB Mike Hosking Leaders Breakfast. David Seymour MP. Photo / Michael Craig
Seymour said he thinks the government should have taken a step back, "and say you've got your property rights, you've got your freedom, go wild, here's the basic infrastructure plan."
Also discussed on the show was the party's vision for Christchurch.
"My vision is freedom. It is to give clear rules of the game so people can get on with building their businesses, households and families.
Today, the 37-year-old ACT leader will visit several local businesses while on the campaign trail.
He visited Metalcorp NZ in Hornby, then the R&N Beattie Partnership for tree planting in Lansdowne at 2pm.
He will finish the day at Westfield Riccarton Mall at 4pm.
Seymour has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the polls in the past year, moving from 1 per cent to 8 per cent and putting him ahead of Labour's coalition partners, the Green Party and NZ First.
Last week's 1 News-Colmar Brunton poll put Act on 8 per cent which would give it 11 seats in Parliament.
Seymour has been the party's sole MP for the past six years thanks to his deal with the National party to give him the Epsom electorate.
The most MPs Act has ever got into parliament since it first stood for election in 1996 is nine.
"Our vision is that the government does a few things they have to do and does them right."
