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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has held the second of regular briefings with local elected representatives to discuss progress on recovery.

Mr Brownlee and his colleagues from the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) last night updated community board members and other local body officials on the progress of land assessment, the alliance programme to fix horizontal infrastructure, EQC and Fletcher Construction work on post quake assessments and repairs, and CERA's overall recovery strategy.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has this morning announced a phased demolition of the Hotel Grand Chancellor will begin in the next few weeks.

"This will be the largest demolition ever carried out in New Zealand," Mr Brownlee said.

"It’s also hugely symbolic for the people of Christchurch that the recovery process is well underway.

"It’s very important to get these big demolition jobs going because the sooner these buildings are down the faster we can move to reopen areas and get on with rebuilding.

The government has approved the fast-tracking of a 10-hectare reclamation of Lyttelton's Port using rubble from Christchurch's earthquakes, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Environment Minister Nick Smith announced today.

"A streamlined process for this reclamation is needed to enable Lyttelton Port to quickly recover and to provide a practical way to deal with some of the estimated 8.5 million tonnes of rubble and material from the earthquake," Mr Brownlee said.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the Earthquake Commission (EQC) had received 159,318 claims from the 22 February earthquake when the deadline for claims passed at midnight last night.

“This makes the events in Canterbury since 4 September last year by far the biggest natural disaster to hit New Zealand.

“As well as the 159,318 claims received for the 22 February earthquake, another 185,046 had been received relating to the 4 September earthquake and the subsequent events in October, November and December.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the roll out of ultra fast broadband to Canterbury homes, businesses, schools and healthcare centres will provide a boost to the region and support recovery following the September and February quakes.

His comments follow an announcement today that the government will partner with Enable Networks to rollout ultra fast broadband in the region.

The rollout will start immediately with schools, hospitals and 90 per cent of businesses covered by 2015, and links to all homes completed before 2019.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says he’s encouraged and delighted with today’s news that listed Australasian outdoor clothing and equipment company Kathmandu Holdings will build a new national distribution centre in Christchurch.

“I note the board of Kathmandu looked at other options, including Auckland, and chose Christchurch,” Mr Brownlee said.

Budget 2011 delivers $5.5 billion over six years for the Government’s new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Fund, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

The new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) will receive $25.5 million of funding over two years, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

“This funding is purely to set up the new authority. The Government will also spend about $8.8 billion over the next few years to help Canterbury rebuild through the Earthquake Commission, ACC, meeting costs of residential property damage, rebuilding infrastructure such as roads and essential water systems, and welfare support,” Mr Brownlee says.

Changes are being made to Building Code documents to increase the seismic hazard factor for Canterbury and to require stronger foundations for buildings, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

The Department of Building and Housing has decided to increase the seismic hazard factor for the design of all buildings by 35 per cent from 0.22 to 0.3 based on the best scientific and structural engineering advice available.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says he’s pleased with progress being made by Fletcher Construction to replace the primary heat source in earthquake damaged homes.

Fletcher Construction took up responsibility for the replacement or repair of heating equipment in March, and has progressively increased the rate of delivery.

“Upward momentum is continuing, with 3,935 priority cases completed by yesterday, 16 May,” Mr Brownlee said.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Education Minister Anne Tolley have announced that full pre-earthquake operational funding for Christchurch schools is to be extended until the end of the year.

“This will provide certainty and stability for schools in Christchurch until the end of 2011,” says Gerry Brownlee.

“It means schools in Christchurch will continue to receive full funding for the number of pupils they had before February’s earthquake.”

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed today's announcement by the State Services Commissioner that the permanent chief executive of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) will be Roger Sutton.

Mr Sutton is presently chief executive of Canterbury electricity lines company Orion Networks.

"I want to thank the State Services Commission for the work they've done in the search for a chief executive, and also congratulate Roger on his appointment.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has applauded the many applications received for membership of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Community Forum.

“We’ve had 230 applications from community and special interest groups, and individuals, which underlines Canterbury’s special community spirit,” Mr Brownlee said.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has commended Christchurch City Council on organising this weekend’s community expo ‘Share an Idea’ for people to give their views on the re-development of Christchurch’s central city. 

Mr Brownlee will be speaking at the expo at the CBS Arena at 10.30am on Saturday 14 May. 

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has held the first of regular meetings of the cross-party MPs’ forum established under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.

“I’d like to thank all those who attended last night’s meeting at the Beehive, it was a genial and constructive session,” Mr Brownlee said.

Among topics discussed were nominations for the community forum.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced an alliance of parties that will rebuild Christchurch’s badly damaged ground level and below ground infrastructure, including roads, water, wastewater and stormwater.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has worked with the Christchurch City Council (CCC) and NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to establish the alliance.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today offered his thanks to those who’ve led the response to the February 22 earthquake, following the lifting of the National State of Emergency at midnight.

“I wish to express my gratitude to Civil Defence National Controller John Hamilton. Mr Hamilton has brought a level of professionalism to the response that has stood us in good stead for a transition out of the state of emergency.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee is calling for expressions of interest for membership of the community forum to be formed under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.

"We are looking for representatives of community-based organisations to put forward their nomination for consideration to be appointed to the community forum," Mr Brownlee said.

Under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act, the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery must invite at least 20 people who are suitably qualified to participate in the community forum.

The Earthquake Commission (EQC) has received more than 300,000 claims from the Canterbury earthquakes which began on September 4, putting the scale of the events into stark clarity, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

As of today, EQC has received 302,440 claims of which 184,399 relate to the first event on September 4 last year and the subsequent events on October 19, November 14, December 26, January 20 and February 4.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee today announced the make-up of the independent review panel that will assess all legislative and regulatory changes under the new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.

The four-person panel will be chaired by former senior High Court judge Sir John Hansen. Sir John Hansen was a High Court Judge from 1995 to 2008, working predominantly in Christchurch, and is the current chair of the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commission.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman paid tribute to Canterbury Television (CTV) which restarts broadcasting today, less than two months after the February earthquake devastated the regional broadcaster.

"The return of CTV to our screens marks a significant point in the recovery process for Canterbury after the tragic events of 22 February," Mr Brownlee says.

"What better way to honour the lives of those people lost from the company than to continue the work they were so much a part of," he says.

The House this afternoon passed the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Bill, which repeals the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010.

The Bill sets out appropriate measures to enable the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and/or the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to facilitate and direct greater Christchurch and its communities to respond to, and recover from, the impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes.

The Government will introduce legislation to Parliament tomorrow to enact the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said today.

"It is our intention to pass the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Bill under urgency this week. This is to enable the people of greater Christchurch to get on with rebuilding their city as quickly as possible," Mr Brownlee said.

More than 90 Canterbury exporters will be reinforcing their relationships with key customers in the coming weeks thanks to the Christchurch Market Connections Fund, launched 10 days ago as part of the government’s economic recovery package for earthquake-affected businesses.

Over $1.3 million of the $2 million fund has already been approved to support 91 firms seeking to strengthen relationships and reassure customers that Christchurch, and New Zealand, is open for business.