New Zealand’s official magician fired after more than 20 years of service: ‘They’re a bunch of bureaucrats with no imagination’

Posted:

October 16, 2021, 17:01 GMT

The man, now 88, was hired in 1998 to promote tourism in a New Zealand city.

Ian Brackenbury Chanel, an 88-year-old Briton who worked for 23 years as an official New Zealand magician in Christchurch, performing sorcery and performing magic tricks, was expelled because he no longer fit the “modern” image of the city. Christchurch Council Deputy Executive Director Lynn McClelland confirmed on the local portal Things That the last installment of the magician’s services would be paid to him in December, he said he was grateful for his services “over the past decades”.

Brackenbury Chanel Vogue british air force pilot Undergraduate in Psychology and Sociology. In the 1970s, he began performing magic tricks after moving to New Zealand, where in 1998 he was given the position of the country’s official magician by then-Prime Minister Mike Moore.

For the past 23 years, Channell has been responsible for promoting tourism in Christchurch through magic tricks and other similar services, so Received 16,000 NZD (about $11293) per year. Over the course of his career, the man received a total of 368,000 NZ dollars ($25,9750 USD). Also, the magician happened The Queen’s Service Medal awarded by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“They are a bunch of bureaucrats who have no imagination.”

McClelland admitted the difficulty of firing the magician, because Chanel “will always be a part of the history” of the city. In terms of reasons for layoffs, the City Council uses that Christchurch’s promotional landscape is changing and seeks to fund shows that reflect the diversity of its communities and that showcase “a vibrant, diverse, modern and attractive city to residents, citizens, visitors, foreigners, start-ups and skilled migrant workers”.

According to the magician, the city council made a decision to stop paying him, because It does not fit the “feelings” of the city. “They are not thinking of ways to promote Christchurch abroad, they are just showing a picture of bureaucrats sipping a latte on the street,” Chanel laments, speaking to Stuff. “They are a bunch of bureaucrats who have no imagination,” he adds.

Hundreds of residents wanted to show their support for the mage by creating petition They are asking the city council to return it to the state payroll. “The Wizard of Christchurch is a Famous city symbol de Christchurch. […] He is on the righteous side of humanity, he is kind, cheerful and cheerful: we need more of this,” the petition stated.