Media Statement
11 May 2009

Hon Peter Dunne
MP for Ohariu
Leader of UnitedFuture

Dunne: Now there are none .. the vanishing Wellington's Civil Defence

UnitedFuture leader and Ohariu MP Peter Dunne says there are no Wellington civil defence staff left after the last worker quit the Wellington Emergency Management Office (WEMO) on Friday.

"It's sad but true – on Friday the last person left WEMO, the very day the city was struck by two earthquakes.

"According to Wellington City Council, this restructuring which has cleaned out WEMO completely is supposed to make things better!” Mr Dunne said.

"It is now official: Wellingtonians are completely on their own when it comes to civil defence.”

Mr Dunne says the Council owes it to Wellington ratepayers to make an urgent and full public statement on how Wellington's civil defence will be maintained while the current restructuring is under way, "with no staff, and if nature is impudent enough to strike before the Wellington City Council is ready".

“It is inexcusable that a developed nation’s capital city can be placed in this sort of situation. We all know that Wellington is vulnerable to a predicted major earthquake, let alone any other significant event.

This is just not good enough. It’s quite intolerable and it’s irresponsible,” Mr Dunne said.

"The Mayor and Councillors should all hang their heads in shame at leaving the city so exposed.

"It is time for the Council to front up to the people of Wellington about how it plans to provide for their civil defence," Mr Dunne said.

ENDS

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