The latest instance came via a threat from Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee this week, who said the Crown could compulsorily acquire central Christchurch land under emergency earthquake powers to kick-start deadlocked retail development there, in what he said could be an expensive, but necessary, process.
Mr Brownlee said he would no longer tolerate ''procrastination'' from retail zone property owners and developers arguing over proposals for a CBD retail precinct, and called for ''proposals and plans to make way for pegs in the ground and impressive structures''.
There are likely to be claims of heavy-handedness given the issues in the CBD mirror those of red-zone residents. Some developers have welcomed the chance to move on, but others may fear they will not receive adequate prices for their land.
However, progress in New Zealand's second-largest city has clearly stalled. And while the Christchurch City Council continues to have unenviable and mammoth tasks in the post-quake rebuilding, it is important to consider the events of the past few months which have led up to this latest flashpoint.
Environment Canterbury Chair of Commissioners
Dame Margaret Bazley - appointed to the role by the Government in 2010 to replace elected councillors in the wake of concerns regarding that body - wrote to Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker in April about her concerns over the city council, saying she had ''built up a picture of staff who tell lies, and of a totally incompetent organisation''.
There have been ongoing concerns about the council's building consents processes and a backlog of consents, a warning at the end of May from International Accreditation New Zealand to improve those processes or lose accreditation as a building consent authority, which was followed through this month, despite assurance from Mr Parker the accreditation criteria would be met.
There is disquiet following the discovery of a large number of illegal building consents issued by the council, the cancellation by the council's insurer of cover for council works done under the Building Act, the decision by Mr Parker to put council chief executive Tony Marryatt on indefinite leave because of his failure to pass on information about the consents crisis, Mr Parker's announcement last week to withdraw from the mayoral race for October's local body elections, this week's downgrading of the council's credit rating from AA- to A+ by international rating agency Standard and Poor's, and the appointment of Crown manager Douglas Martin to oversee the council's building consenting functions and get the process moving for developers and homeowners.
As we have said before, it is clear the council has been dysfunctional at best and incompetent at worst.
In short, the city's governance is a shambles.
Mr Parker has taken the ultimate responsibility for that, but in order to make real and immediate progress the Government seems to have been left little choice but to talk - and act - tough. And if the council does not want a repeat of the Government's Environment Canterbury overthrow, it must step up to the plate.
With Christchurch East Labour MP Lianne Dalziel at this stage looking a shoo-in for the job of mayor come October, the next step will be to see how well she can work with the National-led Government in the best interests of the city.
She has indicated she can, and Mr Brownlee has said ''the Government has a big commitment to Christchurch''.
That commitment was made clear in its announcement at the end of last month that it will pay $2.9 billion towards the city centre's $4.8 billion big-ticket projects.
But building workable relationships to ensure the work can get off the ground is vital - and strong civic leadership from the next elected mayor and council will be needed in order for the Government to have any confidence in fully handing back the reins.
