Let's Hear it from the Boys: Bob Parker

 

Let's Hear it from the Boys: Bob Parker

1.       The one thing I wish I knew about women:
How they work! What makes them really tick! I really don’t want to know though, because I love the mystique.
 
2.       9.00-5.00 you will find me:
At the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), in meetings or out in the community at meetings, or at meetings with local business.
 
3.       After 5.00 you will find me:
At meetings in the community with local business and community groups. Occasionally you will find me crashed on the couch at home, zoning out to satellite news and current affairs, Ground Design, or watching the History channel.
 
4.       Why I like living in:
Christchurch – because it rocks, literally and figuratively! I’m a home-town boy and my family has lived here for many generations. I love the landscape of the rivers, hills and mountains here – they are the landscape of my soul.
 
5.       I can’t do without:
JoJo (Joanna Nicholls-Parker), my guitar, my cat called Blue, my kids and my grand kids, not necessarily in that order.
 
6.       Celebrate:
The little things in life that make such a big difference – a kind word or a smile. I love just watching interactions between people. I like “love”.
 
7.       Under-rated: (or taken for granted)
Having seen a bit of the world over the last nearly 60 years, what’s taken for granted by so many Kiwis is the richness and beauty of life and the opportunities we have in New Zealand. Everyone in New Zealand is blessed.
 
8.       My favourite things:
Walk through Hagley Park.
My parents.
The beach at Le Bons Bay.
The hot springs at Maruia and Hanmer Springs.
Driving across the Southern Alps from Christchurch to Greymouth or from Christchurch to Nelson or from Christchurch to Queenstown.
Every year Jo and I do a road trip in my old MGB with the top down – magic!
 
9.       Last Movie/CD/Book:
Latest CD, “Band Together Live”, music from the earthquake relief concert in Hagley Park.
Book – Keith Richards autobiography, Life.
Movie – “The King’s Speech”.
 
10.     All time favourite book/CD:
Late at night, laid back in our warehouse, I love listening to Pink Floyd, “Dark Side of the Moon”, or any one of 100 great old blues records.
 
11.     Next holiday:
I wish …
 
12.     Guilty pleasure:
To buy half a dozen pairs of new socks and being able to put on a brand new pair of socks without having to wash any of them every day for the next week!
 
 
13.     Best advice:
Read lots of books about Buddhism and be happy in your own skin.
 
14.     Women you admire most:
The Queen, my mum, my wife, my sister and anyone else I may have missed.
 
15.     Your mentor:
I’ve learned from so many different people, I can’t pin it down to just one.
Every book, every event and every person I’ve come across has taught me something about the way one leads life.
 
16.     Best health tip:
Sleep!
 
17.     Favourite saying:
What is the difference between a duck? One leg is both the same as the other.
Or “never give up”.
 
18.     Best life balance tip:
I’m the worst person to answer this question.
I’m yet to find a way to turn my job off when I leave the office. I’m open to suggestions!
 
19.     Worst moment:
Answering question 14 above – really scary selecting the most influential women in my life!
 
20.     What’s next:
Planning and watching Christchurch rise up as a city that fulfills not just the hopes and dreams of today’s citizens, but that fulfills the needs and aspirations of future generations who inhabit this place.
 
21.     Favourite recipe:
JoJo’s roasted chunks of chicken on a bed of rice with her secret sauce, which includes mushrooms, red and green peppers, tomatoes and a number of other substances of which I have no idea!
 
Bob Parker has been chosen as Communicator of the Year by the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand. The award recognises a person who demonstrates excellent personal communication skills and espouses open and honest communications within their organisation.
 
What does receiving this award mean to you?
It's an honour to be recognised by the people for whom communication is the essence of their livelihood. I feel humble to have been accorded this honour and am proud to accept it on behalf of a large team of dedicated people working in an extremely difficult situation. The credit goes to them.
 
What was the toughest aspect of your role?
Never feeling able to do enough to solve all the big issues facing people across our city. No matter what we do, there is always someone who needs help.
 
What is your best advice to anyone who has to deliver tough news to the public?
Honesty is paramount – there is no choice. The context must be set for people, and the information must be given honestly. It is very important to understand as much as you can, as the situation of those receiving the news shapes how and where the information is delivered.
 
Is there a right way and a wrong way to do it, what insights do you have?
There's always the best way to do it, but that is shaped by the nature of the information you are delivering. Again, the best way of doing it means understanding the context of the information and the situation of those receiving it. It will inevitably shape the way the information can be successfully delivered.
 
How did you find the media throughout the ordeal and what advice would you give regarding working with the media in New Zealand?
In the early weeks following both the September and February earthquakes, I thought the media overall were very professional. They understood how vital it was that the information given was accurate and up-to-date. They understood the need for us to communicate with our citizens. The media was extremely supportive and played an important role following the quakes. We developed a solid working relationship and we needed the media as much as they needed us.
 
What mediums did you find worked best for you, i.e. were you using Social Media? Were public meetings best? How do you get information to a mass market in times of pandemonium? What worked, what didn't?
TV and radio provide an immediate connection. Initially there was no power to much of the city. Civil Defence and local volunteer fire brigades were absolutely vital at getting the information out to the public. We used everything we could to keep the citizens up-to-date.
Within days we were holding public meetings across the city and we used mail-drops too. At the end of the day, we used a combination of everything to get the information out there as quickly as possible.
 
What did you do to relax and de-stress during this time?
We just kept our heads down and continued working. There was simply no time to relax. The best way to cope was to stay busy. It was impossible to relax because there was so much to do. Like everybody else, we just did what we had to do.
 
What does the future hold for you over the next 12 months? And for Christchurch?
Completing our work on the rebuild plan for the central city and beginning to see its implementation. We also need to complete the planning work for the suburban centres, ensuring their very important plans can be included in the rebuild. We need to keep working with central government to ensure the financial support is there to rebuild infrastructure. And naturally, we need to keep an eye on the budgets. I want to ensure we meet the commitments to our community.