This news has been round for a week or so and I've heard several views on it ranging from "he has a 'tough job' so must deserve it", to "that is unrealistic in these bad economic times".

Wellington City Council Boss Garry Poole Paid More... | Stuff.co.nz

The latter response denotes envy that is all. "He's getting a payrise, why can't I have one too?" is the mentality.

However, I have to say that as he is the "chief executive" of an organisation that was forced on us and which we have to pay (DEARLY, I might add) for, and which does not actually produce anything but "bureaucracy, bureaucracy and more bureaucracy.

It is "local government", "sheltered workshop" type existance, it is not "real" but artificially created and can - in absolutely NO way - be compared to being chief executive of a legitimate business. In other words he is just "playing at" or pretending to be a chief executive.

What do you think of this?

its just business as usual
the normal defence is along the lines of " well , if we want the best talent , we have to pay according to the market " , etc

just another crime amongst thousands of others

Couple of things wrong with the HB: "well if want the best talent" - please, you've got to be kidding. THIS IS NOT A REAL JOB!!! How can we "pay according to market etc." When this is not "market" but an artificial "sheltered workshop" type employment, where someone is in a position where they are placed there and people have no choice whether or not they want to deal with them - or the "council" in general?

This is LOCAL GOVERNMENT (by definition something that is forced on people, and the money to pay for it is FORCIBLY TAKEN FROM THEM, and the "organisation" does nothing constructive anyway).

This is government, government is something that "employs" (and I use that word in the loosest sense) people to "be there" - they don't have to actually do anything, usually don't and when they do it is usually very destructive and costly.

Government is NEVER the answer to anything. In fact I'll quote the old adage: "Government is the problem ...... what was the question again?"

Here's another example of someone costing the country a fortune, very few people actually wanting them there, and trying desperately to justify it:

Chch Council Chief Executive Tony Marryatt Defends... | Stuff.co.nz

The Christchurch City Council's controversial chief executive has defended his $68,000 pay rise, saying it is recognition of his performance during a year in which he has "never worked as hard in my life".

Tony Marryatt rejected calls to refuse the 14.4 per cent pay rise, saying it was a reflection of his performance and the market rate for his job.

"I am not refusing the pay offer and I am not giving it to charity. That is on the principle that I feel I should be paid the market remuneration for the job and what is appropriate for my level of performance. That is how I treat people in this organisation and that has been my philosophy in 30 years," he said.

Seriously - a 14.4% increase to a person who is taking half a million dollars from the people (yes, the people, not an "employer") in Christchurch's climate of people having to do without all the time, is nothing but obscene!

But, now I see why this happened. He must have threatened to walk out if the rate payers (or extortees) didn't "cough up": "He would have considered his position in Christchurch if the pay rise had not been approved by councillors." Hmmn

More from the article: "''I am the CEO of council and it goes with the job ... When you attack me you are attacking the organisation and this organisation is under pressure because we have staff resigning and staff that have left Christchurch and our job has doubled."

"Job" , there's that word again, there is no way it can be described as aa "job". Get real. "Staff leaving" - really? I heard a lot of "staff" had left because they had no choice, nowhere to live, they can't just "fly to Hamilton" and take more money from the bottomless public trough.

Surely someone has an opinion on this.

i came to christchurch for the work and to be fair they had good public transport and nice parks and gardens it went a little way to justify the rates they charge.
but a in a news report they offered half price at the dump for all the rubble and liquifaction caused by the earthquakes. wow for public servants at a time of a true disaster thats really rolling up the sleeves. no wonder he thinks he should get a pay rise worth what two people would earn picking up all that rubble for a whole year.

it should also be noted that the federal government is looking at replacing the council with a commissioner in christchurch. all i've seen from the council is a nice glossy brochure on their vision of the new city centre. something like what a kid would do on a rainy afternoon