Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 33
new-zealand-labour-party
Thu Apr 28 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 33
Thursday, 28 April 2011, 11:54 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Christchurch
LABOUR MPs
28 April 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT
Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 33
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: We had our first genuine frost of 2011 last night, with the temperature dropping to minus two. It was cold. So it’s perhaps appropriate that I also got a response yesterday from Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee to a letter I sent him about the need for a winter home heating package for the thousands of Cantabrians who don’t have any way of heating their homes or what remains of them through the cracks in walls etc. It is rare to obtain a written response from Gerry, but I wish this letter had told us something we didn’t already know. We already know some 4500 priority winter heating repairs should be in place by mid-May, but the cold winter airs are already upon us, and there are thousands more homes that need help. Illness is the inevitable companion of cold unhealthy housing, and the signs are not good that the Government has yet got its head around the size of the potential problem. It also seems that it hasn’t got its head around the size of another problem that is almost upon us as the business recovery package is phased out in a couple of weeks. There has been no government response to, or rebuttal of, the Massey University research which suggests some 40 per cent of small to medium businesses in Christchurch could eventually fold. This could mean some 24,000 more people out of work. Gerry Brownlee seems unwilling to face up to this figure. He’s certainly not saying anything about it. I am spending today talking to businesses in the city about their future. One of the first is in the demolition business. You would think there is plenty of work --- with more than 300 sites listed for demolition --- for a company like this that employs nine staff, but it’s apparently heard nothing despite registering officially for the tender process. Another mystery we will try to get to the bottom of.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
RUTH DYSON: This morning I have been delivering the latest round of Red Cross forms to communities. These forms cannot be filled out online and it is important that those who need emergency grants get access to them. This grant offers a $500 dollar grant to recognise the disruption families are facing with schools and ECE centres. Some families have had their children moved from centre to centre, school to school and it is costly and destabilising. Some schools are operating on a system of split shifts where children come in for a morning shift and then another school uses the premises for an evening shift. This is going to become increasingly difficult in winter ---we are already feeling the cold--- with high school kids not getting home until 7pm. While the Ministry of Education and ECan have put a lot of effort into transport solutions for families, routines are still disrupted and this grant recognises that split sessions are going to continue until schools are ready to re-open, a time frame which remains unclear but that could be up to a term away. It is my hope that these grants provide some relief for families who are enduring so much. I see today that Gerry Brownlee has called for nominations for his ‘hand-picked’ community forum. I am still really keen to know exactly how 20 people can represent Christchurch. But more importantly I am keen to find out what, if any, structures are in place to ensure that the wider community is able to aptly inform these chosen 20. Will the communities these 20 elite are taken from have the opportunity to inform them? Or will it be a similar situation to the Government’s select committee process recently where representatives were given notice at the last possible minute. I know these are not people who are putting up barriers—these are people who are putting up a hand to help. Gerry hasn’t indicated whether he will draw on the knowledge of local MPs which again seems to reveal another wasted opportunity. Lastly, and importantly, today is Worker’s Memorial Day. I attend each year, whether in Wellington or Christchurch. This year I will be going along to Science Alive with my colleague Darien Fenton, Labour’s spokesperson for Labour Issues.
LIANNE DALZIEL: Last night I spoke to the Fabians Society in Wellington on reconstruction in Christchurch and owning our own future. I have already had good feedback from some of my constituents about the need for the local community to be inspired. We need to know that things are going to get better. This really resonated with people. It is very challenging as we head into the winter months. We need milestones that enable us to celebrate along the way because it is going to be a long, slow, arduous journey – and we know there will be setbacks. These don’t have to be big milestones, just goals which bring the community together. And we also need to know that our ‘new kind of normal’ is going to be better than ‘getting back to normal’ would ever be – because that is now lost to us forever. People are really interested and keen to discuss this overarching message that we can turn this disaster into a real opportunity. It is about building something that is better, more agile and smarter than before. We need to train our young people and re-skill those made redundant by the recession or the earthquake so that they can be part of the rebuilding effort. We need to make use of the science and engineering challenges that lie with the added knowledge of new seismic risks. Our universities & technology businesses could be specifically tasked with developing a programme of applied research that capitalises on our world-class status in this field. One of the most basic luxuries following the quake was a hot shower. Local Councillor Chrissie Williams had a home with solar panels which meant following the quake she was not reliant on a single power source. These are basic innovations that we need to bring into the mainstream dialogue for the rebuild. There are opportunities to make our city much more liveable as well as safer. We could become an international showcase for the future if we are given the chance. Most importantly we need to know that we can each contribute something of value and that we will be heard so that we can truly own our own recovery and our own future.
BRENDON BURNS: I am very disappointed that Mr Brownlee’s letter to Clayton confirms that the Government will be restricting free flu vaccinations to Canterbury residents aged under 18 and over 65, and those under 65 with chronic health conditions as well as pregnant women. I had put up an argument to Mr Brownlee that this will be no ordinary winter in Christchurch and crowded housing and cracked homes without heating and a rundown population will become a cocktail for a flu outbreak. It seems obvious to me that everyone in Christchurch should be immunised. It is logical public health spending, and a move like this would repay our communities in spades.
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from New Zealand Labour Party on InfoPages.