Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Shipley to be Canterbury commissioner, says MP

Updated at 4:28 pm on 19 March 2010

A Christchurch Labour MP says former prime minister Dame Jenny Shipley will be appointed commissioner to oversee the Canterbury Regional Council, but the Environment Minister's office says no decision is imminent.

Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns says Dame Jenny's appointment will be confirmed on Monday, and she will oversee the council's water management issues. He says his sources are well placed.

However, a spokesperson for the Environment Minister says this is speculation and no announcement is planned.

On Wednesday, the environment and local government ministers told councillors in Christchurch that a decision was weeks away.

The regional council's management is being overhauled after a report recommended the immediate removal of councillors, because their performance had fallen well short of expectations.

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