Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 54

Christchurch

LABOUR MPs

7 June 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT
Christchurch Earthquake bulletin edition 54
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: As everyone knows, we experienced more strong aftershocks over the weekend. Events like these underline how difficult it is for resident to begin to live a normal life again. These were really big jolts and while people are getting used to this sort of thing, they don’t seem to let up. It is good that EQC are treating the biggest of yesterday’s shocks as a separate event, but that means for many people that this is the third or fourth time they have had to prepare a claim. That is time-consuming, stressful and arduous. Given stress levels, it’s not surprising that more people are telling me that there needs to be a greater emphasis on psychological and emotional support. People in Christchurch are tough and they are resilient, but the truth is that even the toughest are feeling the stress. As local MPs we are witnessing this in our electorate offices. Many people are still reluctant to come forward and ask for help, but they are finding it difficult to talk to their partners and families about their fears and their concerns. It becomes a vicious cycle, and very stressful for families. At tonight’s meeting with Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee we are expecting an update on timeframes for land mapping. We will also be seeking details on a communications strategy for making announcements on land mapping. When it happens there will be people having to deal with quite traumatic news. There needs to be an assurance now that information on land mapping will be personalised to help people deal with bad news if that’s the case. I have done the rounds at a number of schools, and it is interesting that rolls have consistently gone up by 30-40 with children arriving from earthquake-affected schools, and then dropped back down to a dozen or ten. It seems roll numbers are actually stabilising as parents decide to leave their children in their new schools.

RUTH DYSON: Friday morning was an early start; I went out to Lyttelton at 6am to welcome the first portacabin which is going to be the new Lyttelton Bakery It was a brisk breeze on the Port but well worth seeing the unloading. This is a fantastic further step in the recovery of Lyttelton and a triumph for small business. I want to say congratulations to Ian Scott, the local baker, who was just delighted to watch the portacabin arrive. The bakery is set to open on 13th June. Sydenham is setting itself up to be the High Street of the future and the idea works perfectly. Sydenham has character, class and is also very edgy, which is ideal for the retailers. On another topic, I was very pleased to learn that the need to put security cameras in taxis was being delayed for 12 months for Canterbury taxi drivers, but I am concerned that this decision still hasn't been gazetted or announced by the Government. While safety and security are vital for passengers and drivers alike, the basic functioning and affordability of the business needs to be taken into consideration so drivers can get back on their feet. I am also concerned that work does not seem to have been done in establishing the need for temporary housing As my colleague Brendon Burns mentions today we saw over $1 million being wasted on the campervans that weren't used and I would hate to see more money being spent on houses if they too are going to be empty. This is worse, given that we are losing scarce recreational ground in order for these homes to be built. Tonight there is a further meeting in Heathcote to discuss water issues. I can't go unfortunately because I am in Wellington this week for the first of three sitting weeks of Parliament.

LIANNE DALZIEL: I have my insurer’s project manager at my house today in Christchurch assessing the damage and the scope of works that would be required to repair the house. Suffice it to say, it’s a big job. The house has sunk by 215mm, so it isn’t just a case of jacking it up; it will require lifting – with the added challenge of separating it from the garage and two of the bedrooms, which are inconveniently on a concrete pad instead of wooden piles. This means the repair may not be economic. It does mean that it is over-cap, something EQC hasn’t managed to work out since they undertook their assessment weeks ago. No wonder people get frustrated. I am following up with the Minister’s office the issue of EQC paying out contents claims to include carpets and curtains. They have changed their policy three times now. They originally paid out when they thought the house would be demolished. Then it was when they had notice from the insurer that it would be demolished. Now it seems to be when they have a date for the demolition. I have asked them to be transparent about their policy and to be consistent.

BRENDON BURNS: On Saturday I went for a cycle around the parameter of Linwood Park. This is a site for temporary accommodation. Homes here are already under construction despite calls from local letting agents that there is a surplus of available rental properties. I share these concerns expressed in The Press today. We must work to limit duplication and waste while ensuring the basic needs of our citizens are met. It is not yet clear to me what engagement has been undertaken with communities before the details of the build were decided. The Government spent $1.5m bringing in 350 motorhomes after February's quake, only one of which was occupied; we do not want this happening again. It was a privilege to host a meeting recently with eminent landscape architect Di Lucas as our guest speaker. Di has been active in urban design in Christchurch and across the South Island for many years. Her recent republishing of what is known as the ‘black map’ has caused wide discussion in Christchurch. The map dates back to 1856 and reveals multiple streams across the city. Some of these have been filled in over the years and some have suffered earthquake damage. As we rebuild we need to be informed as to where our water ways lie, whether they have been rerouted and where natural levees lie. There are 8000 springs under Christchurch and many have been rerouted following the quakes. We are going to need to work on remapping and planning in order to ensure our city is built on a sound foundation. I hope that Di’s work in this area will not only resonate with the public, but with those who will ultimately make the decisions.

ENDS

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