Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 60

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Thu Jun 16 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 60

Thursday, 16 June 2011, 11:52 am
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: I have been around most of greater Christchurch in the last few days. While people understand how complex the situation is, there is real angst about comments made by John Key and Gerry Brownlee. Constituents tell me they saw these comments as lofty or condescending. When John Key mused that the government had a 'clear picture' of damage, people interpreted this as 'we know something you don't know'. This didn't go down well with affected residents. These comments came off the back of his earlier assertions that 10,000 homes were all but condemned for demolition. That comment was quickly found to be false, doing nothing for widespread confusion and uncertainty. Secondly, Gerry Brownlee's comments that it is 'blindingly obvious' which suburbs will need to be abandoned are condescending to say the least. While it might be obvious to someone with all the information there is much devastation on the ground and the rumour mill is in full swing. Many streets with similar issues are comparing damage with neighbours and finding it difficult to piece together the logic of assessments. Often EQC and their insurers are saying vastly different things. Further to Gerry Brownlee's abrupt cancellations of two MP briefings, I have had no response to my formal request to him for a briefing for all Canterbury MPs. Constituents are going to anyone with authority for information and the best MPs can do is watch TV, listen to radio and read the paper. I cannot understand why there isn't someone in his department who could provide a briefing to MPs so that we can do our job. This does not appear in the spirit of by-partisanship. Lastly, it is important to mention the on-going struggle as we face the psychological effects of the latest round of quakes. My office has been visited by folks who are just totally flattened. Money issues are adding to pressure. People either have some money but are too scared to spend it-even on the basics-- or have very little money compounded by a very uncertain future. These people need answers to map their future. Some have been in limbo since September. The Waimakariri District Council has advised people that Gerry Brownlee has asked it to defer the start of the recovery programme for Kaiapoi and Pines Kairaki. The programme was recently outlined, but now initial work will be delayed for some weeks from its original programme starting 28 June. People will be disappointed with this news. But the Council's hands are tied by government and I only hope that Mr Brownlee provides residents with an explanation. As usual all people want is to be communicated with honestly.

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Ruth Dyson: I went to a well-attended meeting in Redcliffs for Mt Pleasant residents last night. Unfortunately there is still no appropriate venue for the Mt Pleasant community so we are thankful for the on-going hospitality of neighbouring suburbs! People were very interested in two presentations, one from CanCERN and one from a local designer, but the chief concern remains around insurance claims. There were over 100 people there and only one person had received a payout from EQC. Two thirds of residents said their houses were due to be demolished and there was a high level of frustration at the process. Many have been told that nothing was going to happen with their claim until the land reports are signed off. I am pleased the Sumner community hub is up and running. When I visited yesterday the scene was much like February, the same people with the same offerings of support and information gearing up to take the next step forward with their community. I managed to work with a local company to get bottled water to the community hubs in my electorate to supplement the water tankers. Mt Pleasant itself doesn't have a water tanker and the tanker available at Redcliffs ran out three times yesterday. Needless to say the pressure for water is massive. I have also managed to organise a donation of hand sanitiser for each community hub, which will hopefully extend to other communities around Christchurch.

Lianne Dalziel: John Campbell has been in Bexley for a street corner meeting to hear first-hand the frustrations of those waiting nine months for answers to their future. It was plain the strain has become too much for those forced to dig out the silt for the 4th time. He was also able to demonstrate in dramatic terms how the silt came into people's houses. After showing a house with every floor just covered in silt, John announced that this was not a red stickered house meaning it was safe to live in. This highlights the problem with the sticker system and why I am continuing to pursue it. The Red, Yellow and Green stickers were attached as a 'once-over-lightly' scan of the property to indicate whether the property was dangerous, needed obvious repairs to make it safe, or looked safe. All were subject to further checking. This means some red-stickered houses were safe and some green-stickered ones were not. I am hoping that we learn from this experience and develop a more robust system for the future. I was very proud of my constituents who came out to talk to the media. It does take courage. But they presented a very clear picture of the reason why they had chosen to live in this beautiful new subdivision on the wetlands and why they needed to know what was happening.

Brendon Burns: This week's aftershocks tested everyone. Community resilience is at its lowest ebb, meaning media have to tread carefully. It's not hard to find people at breaking point. While that can make for a powerful interview, the vulnerability of people has to be respected. As the MP for the central city - and as an itinerant Catholic married to an Anglican - I am feeling double-whammied today at reports about the future of our two cathedrals. Senior Anglican clergy say Monday's aftershocks have raised more questions about whether the cathedral needs to be deconsecrated, demolished and rebuilt, possibly on a different site. Similar signals are coming from the Catholic Church about the gorgeous, formerly double-domed Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament on Barbadoes St. Even more perturbing is renewed discussion about moving the city centre west. While I understand the need for assurance on the geological status of the inner city, I find it difficult to believe we will see any wholesale move away. For one thing, two out of three buildings do not need to be rebuilt. So there is billions of dollars of viable infrastructure tied up in the current CBD. Today a case for some funding mechanism to assist the rebuild of damaged or destroyed CBD buildings was again put by the CORE group, representing many dozens of inner city building owners. Spokesman Ernest Duval said that when insurance runs out on September 4, many building owners will be left without income. This could stretch for months; business tenants are also affected. The CBD Recovery Plan will not be completed by the council until the end of this year (before handing over for CERA to confirm and implement). Until there is certainty, banks will not lend. Mr Duval says already he knows of owners who have taken their insurance money and gone to Auckland or Australia, where they can get mortgages on buildings. CORE has outlined a case for the Government and council to assist through low-interest loans. Mr Brownlee has dismissed this so far. As CORE points out, if owners can't repair or rebuild because of a shortage of capital, there will be major economic and social costs. Ideas are now being generated about a special economic zone to assist the rebuild of Christchurch. I am supportive of getting a major discussion going here and quickly.

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