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The government has committed $6.85 million to a carefully targeted economic recovery package to help Canterbury businesses severely affected by the two major earthquakes get back on their feet.

The package includes money for business recovery coordinators, international visits for exporters to key clients, a trust fund for those in need following the quakes, and more money for workshops and business training.

The central Christchurch cordon put in place after the devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake on 22 February is there to save lives, Civil Defence Minister John Carter said today.

“It is foolish to breach the cordon around the red zone. People died behind that cordon,” Mr Carter said.

“The destruction from the earthquake was extensive and left many buildings in an unsafe state. Civil Defence has been working tirelessly to get the area into a safe state.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says that 97 per cent of Christchurch schools are set to have re-opened by the middle of this week.

151 schools will be open tomorrow, with that figure due to rise to 157 by Wednesday.

“Schools are doing a magnificent job in making sure students can return to learning, either at their own school site or sharing a site with another school,” says Mrs Tolley.

“I’m also pleased to say that for the first time since the earthquake, the number of Christchurch students enrolled around the country has started to fall.

Civil Defence Minister John Carter has today extended the state of national emergency for a further seven days in the aftermath of the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch on 22 February.

The state of national emergency in New Zealand was declared on 23 February. Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 a state of national emergency can be declared for a maximum of seven days at a time only. It was first extended on 1 March, then 7 March, 13 March and today. It is expected to continue for several more weeks, Mr Carter said.

Prime Minister John Key today thanked Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her support, through the Queen’s Charitable Trust, of the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

“Her Majesty’s charitable trust will be making a monetary donation to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, which is a generous and gratefully received measure of support for the people of Christchurch,” says Mr Key.

“I am sure New Zealanders will join me in thanking Her Majesty for her kind support at such a tragic time for the city.”

Ministry of Justice staff working from a temporary office facility in Christchurch are helping to improve the delivery of essential justice services, Minister for Courts, Georgina te Heuheu said today.

We are here today to remember the people we have lost, to express our grief and sorrow, and to re-affirm our commitment to this city and to each other.

On the 22nd of February Christchurch experienced an earthquake of such violence that it stole from us the lives of dozens of people, and dramatically altered the lives of tens of thousands more.

All who were caught up in that earthquake, all who have seen the images and read the stories, have been horrified by it its scale and by its callous disregard for so much that we held dear.

The Minister Responsible for the New Zealand Fire Service, Nathan Guy, has thanked the last of the international USAR teams who have left Christchurch today.

“The Queensland Fire and Rescue Task Force have left Christchurch today, and we are deeply grateful to them and all the other international USAR teams who helped us in our time of need.

“At its peak, around 600 USAR personnel were based in Latimer Square in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. This included foreign personnel from Australia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, China, USA and UK.

Good afternoon. We’re all familiar with the events in Christchurch last month. Few words come close to conveying the scale and impact of that disaster.

Can I also acknowledge the horrific events in Japan last week - they show there is always someone worse off than ourselves. More than most, we understand what the Japanese people are going through.

Here at home, helping support and rebuild Christchurch is among the most important things the Government will do this year and into the future.

Prime Minister John Key today thanked Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton for their generous support for Christchurch and the West Coast following the tragic events in those areas.

“Prince William’s visit to New Zealand to meet with the families of those lost in November’s Pike River Mine tragedy, and to attend the Christchurch Earthquake Memorial Service, is hugely appreciated by New Zealanders.

The Department of Building and Housing is undertaking a technical investigation into the performance of key buildings in Christchurch and the reasons that some of them collapsed, Minister for Building and Construction Maurice Williamson said today.

“The Department is inviting people with information and evidence about the performance of key buildings to contribute to this investigation, which will include the Canterbury TV and Pyne Gould Corporation buildings, the Forsyth Barr building and the Hotel Grand Chancellor.”

Although Inland Revenue had already put in place a number of urgent measures in response to last month’s Christchurch earthquake, the Government is looking at further measures in response to issues raised by the public, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said today.

“I am very pleased with Inland Revenue’s response to the position people found themselves in after the earthquake.

Mr Speaker

I wish to make a ministerial statement under Standing Order 347 in relation to the fourth extension of the state of national emergency over Christchurch City.

Inmates at the three Canterbury prisons have been put to work helping the people of Christchurch following the 22 February earthquake, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said.

Since the earthquake prisoners from Christchurch Men’s Prison, Christchurch Women’s Prison and Rolleston Prison have assembled thousands of emergency packs of food and other necessities for Christchurch residents.

Low-risk offenders on community work have also been clearing streets and helping schools get up and running.

Prime Minister John Key is welcoming the news that the Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott will all attend the Christchurch Earthquake National Memorial Service on Friday.

“This is a heart-warming show of solidarity with New Zealand by the leadership of Australia.

“It is a concrete demonstration of the sentiment Prime Minister Gillard expressed during her visit to New Zealand last month that New Zealand is 'family',” says Mr Key.

Prime Minister John Key today announced that Cabinet has agreed to establish a Royal Commission on the Canterbury Earthquake.

The inquiry will examine issues around the built environment in the Christchurch CBD including, but not limited to, the CTV and PGC buildings, as well as the adequacy of the relevant building codes and standards into the future.

Civil Defence Minister John Carter has today extended the state of national emergency for a further seven days in the aftermath of the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch on 22 February.

The state of national emergency in New Zealand was declared on 23 February. Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 a state of national emergency can be declared for a maximum of seven days at a time only. It was first extended on 1 March, then 7 March. It is expected to continue for several more weeks, Mr Carter said.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says 143 Christchurch schools, 88 per cent of the total number, will have re-opened by the end of this week.

It is also expected that 234 early childhood education services, or 69 per cent, will be open.

“Schools and ECE services have worked incredibly hard to re-open,” says Mrs Tolley.

“This is great news for Christchurch parents, students and young children who want some kind of certainty and normality.

Police Minister Judith Collins has thanked her Australian counterparts for the assistance of Australian Police officers following the devastating Christchurch earthquake.

Ms Collins has written to the Federal Government and the Police Ministers from South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Western Australia and New South Wales to convey the New Zealand Government’s appreciation for their help.

Around 300 Police officers from throughout Australia began arriving in Christchurch on 25 February.

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Steven Joyce, is asking students and trainees enrolled with tertiary education institutions in Christchurch to keep in touch with their providers to ensure they are abreast of reopening plans.

He says the city’s larger publicly funded institutions, which have all been closed since the February 22 earthquake, will all start to open their doors again to students next week.

Lincoln, which sustained little significant damage from the February earthquake, is planning to reopen to all students for semester one on Monday (14 March).

The Earthquake Commission's new assessment process will give Christchurch homeowners more certainty about the status of their homes, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

The EQC announced today it will begin a new rapid assessment process of all Christchurch houses over the next eight weeks to prioritise needs and urgent repairs.

"The rapid assessments will give homeowners some certainty about their homes in a quicker timeframe," Mr Brownlee says.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says that 80 schools in Christchurch have now re-opened for students, with that number set to rise to at least 110 by the start of next week.

“This has been a marvellous effort by everyone involved,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Principals, teachers, parents and the Ministry have worked incredibly hard to re-open schools and get students back into education, and this fantastic progress is continuing at other schools.

Providing temporary toilet facilities for earthquake affected Christchurch residents is being worked on urgently, Civil Defence Minister John Carter said today.

“There are 40,131 temporary toilets (both portaloos and chemical toilets) that have been sourced to meet demand,” Mr Carter said.

Lotto customers have been thanked for their generosity in buying tickets for last Saturday’s special draw by the Minister of Internal Affairs Nathan Guy, which raised $8,248,300 for the people of Christchurch.

The New Zealand Lotteries Commission has today formally transferred this money to the Lottery Grants Board, which is chaired by Mr Guy. The money will now be passed onto to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal to help the community recover.