Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition nineteen

new-zealand-labour-party

Tue Apr 05 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition nineteen

Tuesday, 5 April 2011, 1:08 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

The Labour Party's Christchurch electorate MPs, Clayton Cosgrove (Waimakariri), Ruth Dyson (Port Hills), Lianne Dalziel (Christchurch East) and Brendon Burns (Christchurch Central) have started a regular bulletin to keep people in their electorates and media informed about what is happening at grass roots level.

CLAYTON COSGROVE: The Government's proposal to charge Canterbury people almost $600 upfront to stay in campervans "you can't swing a cat in" is bizarre. The rent has been settled on by government ministers (ie Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee) on what they claim is a market rental basis. But this is not a situation where market rentals apply. It is not business as usual for Cantabrians who have lost their homes, many thousands of whom will also soon lose their jobs and livelihoods. How are they calculating the price for a campervan? It looks random to me. They're charging $190 for two people (plus the two-week bond), $271 for four and $337 for six. How are children counted? A campervan remains the same size regardless of how many people are in it. I remain very concerned at the prospect of thousands of Cantabrians --- employees and business owners --- ending up on the scrapheap when the Government cuts its business assistance package in a few weeks. It's simply no good saying the package can't go on forever, or that businesses must get their act together. Many of them still can't get inside the cordon to retrieve vital records and stock so they can evaluate whether they can start again. John Key promised no Cantabrians would be worse off. This will be the acid test. If the business assistance package is dropped, then thousands will suffer a double whammy --- they will have lost their homes and their livelihoods. Many of them won't get started again. I am also still concerned at aspects of the demolition process. A good example is the Community Law Centre. Apparently its premises are okay, but the buildings around it are not. The trouble is that the centre doesn't know what's happening. One moment it's told it's okay, the next it is told it may have to come down because of other buildings. The lines of communication aren't working. Tonight I am attending the first meeting in the sixth round of EQC briefings I organised in my electorate after the first quake. Tonight's meeting is at the Kaiapoi Working Men's Club, and there will be two other briefings, one in Rangiora and one on the Christchurch side of my electorate. Updated status of letters from Labour MPs to John Key, Gerry Brownlee and Christchurch City Council: Still no response after just on three weeks!

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RUTH DYSON: I flew to Wellington this morning for Labour's weekly caucus meeting. There was a great welcome back from all of our colleagues. Today I am hoping to hear more details about the CERA legislation and timetable. I am pleased that some progress has been made around assessing the structural integrity of rock and cliff faces in the Port Hills. Further to concerns I raised on 24 March, timetables have been produced that give some time frames for work on rock fall areas. This action while somewhat belated, has been a great help in allowing residents to plan their future. There is still no information of this sort in regard to land mapping but I hope to get some time frames soon. Last week, I asked the CD Controller to publish the consents granted under the Civil Defence Authority. He has agreed to this and I think it will be useful for all of us to know what has been agreed and under what conditions. The CD Controller has also started issuing details of demolition orders granted. Some of this information has come as a shock to the building owners. My view is; the more transparency the better. We will certainly use lessons from the September quake to inform our discussion around the CERA. Last night I went along to the Linwood College gala concert at Aurora Center, Burnside High School. This was a free concert to thank the community for their support which has allowed the orchestra to achieve their goal of performing at Westminster Abbey on Anzac Day. They were brilliant. While it was a free concert, the raffle and donations raised some additional funds for the group. I was very proud to be there and be part of the celebration of the huge talent of these young people.

LIANNE DALZIEL: Firstly, I would like to welcome the Minister of Courts announcement that the Ministry of Justice will operate a criminal list court from Christchurch's Nga Hau e Wha marae on Pages Road. The venue will be used until the Ministry is able to support court services from the Maori Land Court building on Peterborough Street. The sessions at the marae will see those who have been summoned to attend court, or remanded on bail. After a turbulent six weeks this is the right decision to get our criminal justice system back up and running in Christchurch. I am in Wellington today attending caucus but am focused particularly on the impact of the earthquake on the Christchurch East schools. I met with the principals last week and was concerned to learn about the impact that the staffing and funding rules would have on their schools. Schools are dealing with enormous challenges with children from traumatised families who face an uncertain future in their jobs, their homes and their suburbs. I have asked the Ministry of Education to work with the schools to develop long term solutions that will see education at the heart of the recovery of the East.

BRENDON BURNS: I am pleased to report that concerns for artworks housed in the Brooke Gifford Gallery have been relieved. Last Thursday hundreds of iconic New Zealand artworks were salvaged with assistance from the staff of the Christchurch City Gallery. Twenty Bill Hammond pieces were salvaged including one piece which has been valued at $205,000. This is an example of how safe and timely access can preserve the cultural fabric of Christchurch's and New Zealand's artistic history. Little damage to artwork was reported, due to a timely rescue effort. I have received a response from the Council declining my request for council housing tenants such as those at Airedale Court to receive a temporary rent reprieve. It is unacceptable that these tenants are expected to pay full rent for properties in which central utilities remain inoperable. Housing New Zealand set a strong precedent and it is a shame that precedent is not being met across the board. I am in Wellington this morning but will return to Christchurch this afternoon to chair the latest ICONIC (Interests in Conserving the Identity of Christchurch) meeting. ICONIC member Anna Crighton was quoted in the Press this morning advocating for the protection for Christchurch's heritage.

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