Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 28
new-zealand-labour-party
Mon Apr 18 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 28
Monday, 18 April 2011, 11:15 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Christchurch
LABOUR MPs
18 April 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT
Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 28
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: It is totally unacceptable for the Government to claim today that it hasn’t had time to look at options like power subsidies to cope with home heating problems in Christchurch. Winter waits for no one. Labour raised the issue of health risks around home heating well before the 22 February earthquake, and it’s simply not good enough for the Government to claim it hasn’t had time to prepare a response. Yet that is exactly what Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said this morning He claimed on Radio New Zealand that he had been focused on getting the power back on. Well, actually, there are hundreds of people doing that for him. Mr Brownlee has had months to focus on how people, particularly elderly people, are going to pay for that power as winter bites. We had single-figure temperatures last night. People are living in homes with cracks in the walls and ceilings, and draughts that were never there before. Even if they have means of heating their homes --- such as heat pumps--- they can’t work as efficiently as they might otherwise do because the homes have been damaged. All this means that the cost of home heating will soar for many people who are struggling to cope with the bills they face anyway. Misery is piling on misery, and Gerry Brownlee says he hasn’t time to focus on it. He’s had months to do so, and he’s now got an army of bureaucrats to help him focus. There are enormous health risks associated with cold, damaged homes. Mr Brownlee says power subsidies are out of the question. That’s not acceptable when there are already reports, before winter even starts properly, of elderly people having to wrap themselves in blankets to keep the cold out. There’s a strong likelihood there will be severe health consequences. Gerry Brownlee says he hasn’t time to think about that. It shows how out of touch he really is with how badly many Canterbury people are struggling. Saturday’s aftershock has knocked many people around emotionally and psychologically. Before that we’d had a better week, with people getting back out on the streets, but Saturday was another blow, and has left people feeling quite distressed.
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RUTH DYSON: Today the programme of demolition in Lyttelton will start to make real progress. Lyttelton's iconic Volcano Cafe and Lava Bar were demolished last Friday and the Harbour Light Theatre, Empire Hotel and former No. 6 café will be demolished today and tomorrow. This is an important step for the recovery effort in Lyttelton as many businesses dwarfed in the shadow of these unstable buildings will soon be able to reopen. Over the weekend we had the third round of our community briefings. There was some news of set-backs in the Port Hills from Taylors Mistake right through to Princess Margaret Hospital in Cashmere. Significant land damage means that families are still unable to return to their homes in these areas and there was concern that residents are still without a robust time frame for action. We were of course shaken by the largest aftershock since 22 February on Saturday afternoon. No additional houses were red stickered following the aftershock but there was a lot of property damage reported. People suffered lapses in power and water with water mains damaged. There was damage to possessions with people starting to reassemble their homes only to have shelves and ornaments topple again. Broken windows were a chilling reminder of winter being close, with or without a home heating subsidy from the Government. People are simply really, really tired and the cold is an overwhelming concern. There is another community briefing in Sydenham Park tonight to expand on some of these issues.
LIANNE DALZIEL: Today I am attending a Lincoln University Seminar called; Resilient futures: supporting recovery in greater Christchurch. There are a host of distinguished speakers including Gavin Smith the Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters (UNC Hazards Centre) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Centre of Excellence - Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management (DIEM), Charles Kelly an expert with over 30 years’ experience in humanitarian assistance for earthquakes, drought, floods, epidemics, conflict and other emergencies, and Associate Professor Bruce Glavovic, an Earthquake Commission Fellow in Natural Hazards Planning, who focuses on the role of planning in building sustainable, hazard-resilient communities. This morning I have listened to Laurie Johnson, a consultant with over 20 years of experience in disaster-related management and research following earthquakes in Chile, China, Northridge and Kobe. Her perspectives on planning under conditions of geological uncertainty were insightful and useful particularly in light of the challenges faced by my own electorate. It is wonderful to attend a conference which facilitates such useful and informed conversations about the future of our city. Other topics which I look forward to today include discussion and presentations on housing relocation and inter-organizational coordination/leadership, green recovery, reconstruction and welfare programmes as well as the importance of getting sound recovery structures in place. Also important is discussion on the wider lessons to be learned from Waimakariri District Council’s approach to recovery.
BRENDON BURNS: I am delighted that Canterbury regional television (CTV) is back on air tonight. It is a huge achievement by those who worked for the company when the quake struck on 22 February, and who lost so many of their colleagues. I knew many of them as well, and I am well aware how deeply the survivors have been mourning their loss. The resumption of broadcasting is important not only for CTV, but for Canterbury itself. CTV is the only local television company, and is focused on Canterbury interests and concerns. It will be important in terms of promoting Canterbury’s business and economic recovery. As we wait with baited breath for the Government’s plan---or lack thereof--- for on-going support as winter approaches, an astonishing 27% of the Christchurch workforce or 59,000 people have been identified as reliant on the Government’s job subsidy. The subsidy is already being cut back; the question is whether the Government will completely turn off the tap. It has to be said that some businesses are not viable but even if only half of those currently on the subsidy still need some assistance to stay in jobs, that’s 30,000 people. Let’s hope that the Government accepts the logic of providing some on-going assistance. As portable homes are assigned to temporary villages in Linwood Park, Rawhiti Domain and an unnamed Burwood site I will keep a close eye on any announcement as to whether portacabins will be allowed to be located on people’s property while their damaged homes are repaired or replaced. It’s to be hoped this option is still very much alive as it presents the best opportunity to keep children in school, damaged homes secure and people close to neighbours and communities. Round three of the Community briefings were held over the weekend with the final one tonight in Sydenham Park at 5pm.
ENDS
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