Quake Outcasts Welcome the Decision of the High Court Declaring the Red-Zoning and the Subsequent Buyout Offer Unlawful

The Court determined that the government stepped outside the law when it decided to declare vast areas as the "red zone", and the buyout offer to residents was also made not in accordance with the law.

In many instances, the government's buyout offer to Quake Outcasts members fall between 13% and 30% of the rating valuation.

It is self-evident that the government's zoning and offer decisions were designed with EQC's liability in mind, because commercial building owners are treated the same as uninsured and vacant section owners. Commercial building owners are almost always insured.

The government tries to justify its unlawful acts by demonising uninsured residents.

When the government says "uninsured", it means "not an EQC customer."

The government could not claim payouts from reinsurers on commercial, uninsured, and vacant properties.

EQC does not cover commercial, uninsured, or vacant properties.

In Australia where repeated flooding devastated many areas, their government approach was one of voluntary buyout scheme. Uninterested homeowners are not coerced to sell or threatened with cutting off of water and power. In contrast these are being perpetrated here in New Zealand.

New Zealand is truly "blazing a new trail" here, by perverting the meaning of disaster relief and doing its citizens a disservice.

ENDS

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