Search

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a three month extension to the time required for insured residential red zoned property owners to choose a settlement option.

“Over 4200 people have already accepted one of the Crown offers that were first made in June 2011, and the Government is confident the extension will assist those who are yet to make a decision on which of the two offers to accept,” Mr Brownlee said.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew is today visiting a new Canterbury DHB service aiming to keep older Cantabrians well at home and spending less time in hospital.

CREST (Community Rehabilitation, Enablement and Support Team) had already been planned by the DHB but was launched under urgency in April 2011 to assist with pressure from the loss of 106 hospital and 635 aged residential care beds damaged in the February earthquake.

Good morning everyone.

First let me introduce who is here this morning for this announcement.

I would like to very warmly welcome Mayor Bob Parker.

Also with me are CERA Chief Executive Roger Sutton and CERA Operations Manager Warwick Isaacs.

The reason we’re here today is because the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act required the Christchurch City Council to prepare a draft CBD plan, which was presented to me as Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery on the 21st of December 2011.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee today announced the establishment of a new business unit inside the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to focus on rebuilding Christchurch’s CBD.

“The Christchurch Central Development Unit will provide clear leadership for the rebuild of the city and work in a positive partnership with Christchurch City Council, which remains the consenting authority,” Mr Brownlee said.

An updated valuation of estimated Canterbury earthquake costs – including $450 million relating to the quake on 23 December 2011 – are reflected in the Government’s accounts for the eight months to 29 February.

Combined with core Crown expenses remaining significantly below forecast, and core Crown tax revenue continuing to track below forecast, the extra earthquake costs left a $5.5 billion operating deficit before gains and losses in the eight months, Finance Minister Bill English says.

The Government is investing $1.8 million over the next three years to support the development of a high-tech business hub in central Christchurch, Minister for Economic Development Steven Joyce announced today.

Mr Joyce said the Ministry of Science and Innovation and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise were working in partnership with Christchurch City Council and the private sector to establish the Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Campus (EPIC) on the corner of Tuam and Manchester Streets.

The Government is boosting its support for the Christchurch international education sector with a dedicated $5 million fund that will promote the city overseas as an education destination over the next four years, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce announced today.

“Christchurch is normally our second largest destination for international students and the city has an international reputation for very high-quality education,” Mr Joyce says.

Prime Minister John Key today congratulated the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust on the funding of its 100th project since the charity was established in February last year.

The Linfield Cultural Recreational Sports Club has been funded $388,980 to provide sports programmes in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs - almost doubling the number of KiwiSport programmes offered to children in the area.

Civil Defence Minister Chris Tremain today launched New Zealand ShakeOut, the biggest earthquake public education campaign ever staged in New Zealand.

“The ShakeOut campaign will last for six months, and will include radio and television advertisements, a social media campaign, and promotional activities around the country. This will culminate in a nationwide earthquake drill on 26 September,” says Mr Tremain.

Christchurch’s earthquakes have had a big impact on the number of international students studying in the city with a 37% drop in 2011, latest figures from the Education Ministry show.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce says the results were not unexpected.

“The earthquakes in Canterbury have severely impacted the number of people from overseas wishing to study in Christchurch,” Mr Joyce says.

Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee today announced insurer AMI as the naming rights sponsor for the new, temporary Christchurch Stadium in Addington.

Christchurch Stadium is the first sporting venue built in the city since the destructive earthquakes.

“AMI’s sponsorship and continued backing of sport and entertainment in Christchurch is welcome, especially as the future of the quake damaged AMI Stadium remains in question.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the residents of 401 properties in Southshore West will need to wait a little longer before a decision can be made on the viability of rebuilding on their land.

“I know patience is running out in Southshore West, but we will soon have all the information needed to be confident of a final decision,” Mr Brownlee said.

Southshore West was subject to extensive lateral spreading in the February 22 earthquake, in some places up to a metre. Properties in Southshore East were zoned green last year.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced the rezoning of 251 residential properties in Christchurch’s Central City South, Richmond South and Linwood from orange to red.

All insured residential properties in the newly red zoned areas will be subject to the Government offer of purchase.

“Despite exhaustive research into the viability of remediating damaged land and rebuilding on these areas, the case for continued occupation does not stack up.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced the development of a new temporary village at Rawhiti Domain to help meet increasing demand for short term rental housing.

“The government has long recognised there is a role to play in providing temporary accommodation for those who, for whatever reason, are out of their homes for a short period because of the quakes,” Mr Brownlee said.

The Government’s $1.35 billion ultra-fast broadband initiative presents a unique opportunity for Canterbury as it starts to rebuild, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says.

Speaking at an event in Christchurch tonight to highlight the role UFB will play in rebuilding Canterbury, Ms Adams told the audience that they have an opportunity to shape the region’s future.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Courts Minister Chester Borrows today welcomed the opening of the new Christchurch courthouse.

The new courthouse, which is capable of holding jury trials, was officially opened by Mr Borrows at a ceremony in Christchurch this morning. Court services will begin on Monday 19 March.

“Today’s opening of the Cambridge Terrace Courthouse is an important step in the resumption of justice services in Christchurch,” says Mr Borrows.

“It’s one year on since the big earthquake in Canterbury and Government recognises that people in Canterbury are still dealing with very difficult circumstances,” says Revenue Minister Peter Dunne.

“The Government has therefore extended a temporary measure introduced after the February earthquakes for a further six months,” Mr Dunne announced today.

With just 15 days to go before the Crusaders take on the Cheetahs at the new Christchurch Stadium, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has praised contractors for the remarkable feat of building a 17,000-seat facility in less than 100 days.

Mr Brownlee today toured the site and remarked on how much progress had been made since members of the media joined him to mark the first turf being laid three weeks ago.

“Over 400 workers have taken completion of this task on as a personal mission, and their effort really shows.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett have announced a “Working InZone” programme to get unemployed Cantabrians working in the region’s residential red zone.

“Funding of more than $770,000 will support up to 100 Christchurch and North Canterbury beneficiaries to clean up, maintain and secure the properties purchased by the Government in the residential red zone,” Ms Bennett said.

The Air Force Museum in Wigram will be available for the restoration, storage and rehabilitation of heritage and cultural collections displaced by the Canterbury earthquakes thanks to funding from the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust and government, Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The roll out of ultra-fast broadband to more Christchurch schools will see thousands more students able to be connected by July, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says.

Enable, the Government’s ultra-fast broadband partner for Christchurch, today released details of the next 11 schools in the region that will be able to connect to the network by July this year.

This means there will be more than 37,000 students at 71 schools in Christchurch with access to UFB.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee today inspected construction progress at the new Christchurch Stadium, joined by members of the Crusaders rugby franchise who pitched in to help lay recycled turf harvested from AMI Stadium.

“It’s a very tight schedule to build an entire stadium in four months but the efforts and outstanding cooperation of the roughly 400 workers on site has this project on track for completion at the end of March, just 43 days away,” Mr Brownlee said.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced the re-zoning of a further 255 residential orange zone properties, 42 to green, which means their owners can begin the process of repairing or rebuilding, and 213 to red, which means the properties will be subject to Government offers of purchase.

Mr Brownlee says today’s zoning decisions have been among the most challenging of the over 10,000 flat land properties originally zoned orange, given the complex nature of the damage, which varies from street to street.

The release today of the technical report into the collapse of the CTV building in Christchurch will be a tough day for the friends and families of those who lost their lives in the building, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

"The report provides insight into why the building collapsed on 22 February. It also raises some serious questions about the structural integrity of the building," Mr Brownlee said.