Bob Parker stands down

There's big news tonight coming out of Christchurch; the Herald reports:

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has pulled out of the upcoming mayoral race.
Mr Parker told TV3`s John Campbell he didn't have another three years of the stress, pressure and "cope-ability'' left in him.
"It's really, really hard work. I've got to say, I love the organisation that I work in and for and I'm incredibly proud of this city. But I'm incredibly proud of the people that I work alongside and they have had a pounding,'' he said.
Mr Parker said there was a question in the minds of the community around some of the recent happenings at council and as the leader on the governance side, he had a responsibility to accept whether he did everything he could or whether there were things he should have done.
"I have to face up to that responsibility.''
In the latest blow for Christchurch City Council, it was revealed this evening that its insurance cover for claims under the Building Act has been withdrawn in the wake of the city's consenting crisis.

The Government today said the council had advised that its professional indemnity and public liability insurer Riskpool had withdrawn cover from July 1.
International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ), which withdrew the council's ability to issue consents, has raised concerns over technical processing that means building consents might not meet the requirements of the building code.
The council voted yesterday to allow a Crown manager to take over the council's building consent functions.
Council chief executive Tony Marryatt also went on indefinite leave this week over the consenting debacle.
Mr Parker was the 45th mayor of Christchurch, and took office in October 2007. He was re-elected in October 2010, a month after the city was hit by the first major earthquake.
Last month Labour MP Lianne Dalziel confirmed she'll run for the Christchurch mayoralty, saying she could offer "effective and inclusive" leadership.

We will cover this story at greater length tomorrow, as we have other commitments this evening. Bob Parker may have been the man of the hour after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, but he has taken subsequent failings on the chin tonight in announcing his decision to stand aside. For that, he deserves credit.