18 November 2016 – 2.30pm
MEDIA RELEASE

Minister’s support of Wellington response ‘heartening’

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has welcomed the comments today by the Hon. Gerry Brownlee, Acting Civil Defence Minister, that the city has responded appropriately throughout the week to the earthquake and aftershocks.

Mayor Lester says Wellingtonians should take heart from Minister Brownlee’s comments.

“Minister Brownlee has praised the city’s response and says we’ve done the right thing under the circumstances, both immediately after the earthquake and as aftershocks and more detailed inspections have altered our approach,” says Mayor Lester.

“This ties in with what we’re hearing from other experts in recent days around the importance of having confidence in our city’s building stock and being adaptable with our approach in light of aftershocks and more detailed inspections.”

At a media conference mid-morning Minister Brownlee said he was very comfortable with what he’d seen in Wellington and understood that as the event was still unfolding, the city would respond to new information.

Minister Brownlee said he was particularly comforted to learn that there will be ongoing inspections by the private sector, and that he had confidence in the Council’s handling of the situation.

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