It is with great sadness, but with full understanding, that my wife Susan and I have received advice of the change in focus of the response to the Christchurch earthquake, from rescue to recovery.

The authorities in Christchurch, drawing on expert advice both in New Zealand and from further afield, have made this difficult decision. For more than a week, we have joined with the families and friends of those missing in hoping for a miracle, that people would be pulled from the rubble alive. We must now confront the bitter reality that the possibility that further survivors might be rescued is now very small indeed.

When we visited Christchurch last Sunday we were both shocked by the level of devastation. However, we were also heartened by the professional work at the Emergency Operations Centre and the work of the Urban Search and Rescue teams from New Zealand, and elsewhere. Additionally, everyone has been impressed with the bravery of those ordinary New Zealanders who, in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, risked their own lives to pull trapped people from shattered buildings. In the difficult period since, we have seen dedicated, highly professional efforts being made to search for the living and to recover the remains of those lost.

The thoughts of all New Zealanders are with the people of Christchurch and all those grieving for the loss of their loved ones. We all have our connections to Christchurch. New Zealand, as a single family, stands with them at this time of great loss. Kia kaha.

Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand
Governor-General of New Zealand

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage