John Howland lost his son in the earthquake and explains why he threw a substance at Gerry Brownlee

The man who tipped brown sludge over Gerry Brownlee has changed his mind about meeting the Earthquake Recovery Minister at restorative justice.

John Andrew Howland arrived at the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday on what would have been the 20th birthday of his son, Jayden Andrews-Howland, who died in the February 2011 earthquake.

Howland, 41, said he attacked Brownlee "to prove a point".

SUPPLIED Jayden Andrews-Howland died when the Red Bus he was sitting in on Colombo St was crushed by building debris in the February 2011 earthquake.

"The Government sucks."

READ ALSO: Concern over public access to MPs after throwing incidents

Howland, 41, poured the mixture of chocolate, egg, flour, salt, pepper and vinegar over Brownlee shortly after the earthquake memorial service in Hagley Park finished on Monday afternoon.

DON SCOTT/FAIRFAX NZ Howland and Andrews in 2012 with a portrait of 14-year-old Jayden.

"The Government, they're heartless," Howland said.

"They don't listen to people. They don't care about us, don't care about nobody."

Howland said he had planned the move on Brownlee "for a few years". He hoped his actions would make the Government "get their s… together and sort this blimmin city out and all the people that are suffering. It's just bulls…. I've just had enough".

Brownlee did not say anything to him after he tipped the mixture over his head, he said, but asked a security guard who grabbed him to "let him go".

In court on Tuesday morning, Howland pleaded guilty to assault. His duty lawyer Judith Walshe said he did not want to meet the minister at a restorative justice conference.

Regardless, Judge Jane Farish stood down the hearing so that Brownlee could be asked if he wanted the meeting to take place.

An hour later, the hearing resumed – and the court was told Howland had changed his mind.

He was willing to meet the Minister at a restorative justice conference after all, Walshe said.

Judge Farish remanded Howland for sentence on March 15.

If Brownlee was willing to take part in the meeting, that sentencing may happen later.

'UNKNOWN BROWN SLUDGE'

According to the police summary of facts, Howland went to the service and sat a short distance from the dignitaries. The service was "emotionally charged" and a large number of media were recording the event.

As Brownlee got up to leave, Howland walked up to him with an icecream container that contained a brown sludge he prepared earlier in the week.

He poured the sludge over the top of Brownlee in a planned attack before walking away.

"The victim was covered in an unknown brown sludge," the police said.

Howland told police he didn't like the victim or the political party he stood for.

He asked for any sentencing to be transferred to Greymouth. He and his wife, Helen Andrews, left Christchurch soon after the earthquakes after being "robbed" of watching their only son grow up.

Jayden Andrews-Howland was killed when a building fell on the bus he was travelling home in on Colombo St on February 22, 2011.

The Linwood College pupil would have celebrated his 15th birthday the day after the earthquake.

Brownlee has not responded to requests for comment.