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The government will provide $2.5 million in funding over three years to help three local councils affected by the November earthquake, Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced.

“This funding will help Kaikōura, Hurunui and Marlborough District Councils shoulder their additional local government responsibilities after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake last year,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Based on Christchurch’s experience, we can expect a ramp-up in council activities, potentially doubling their regulatory services.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has established a Technical Advisory Group to identify where improvements in New Zealand’s Civil Defence structure could be made.

In March, Mr Brownlee convened a cross-party meeting to initiate discussions about the Civil Defence Emergency Management structure and the shortcomings highlighted by recent emergencies, such as the Kaikōura earthquake and Port Hills fires.

Following the meeting, Mr Brownlee wrote to various agencies and departments asking them to nominate someone for a Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced additional funding of $700,000 for the restoration of Kaikōura Harbour, bringing the government’s total contribution to $5.7 million.

Two major commercial operators, Whale Watch Kaikōura and Encounter Kaikōura, have been working with the Kaikōura District Council and the Crown and have also agreed to help fund the harbour’s restoration.

The government will fund a free and independent advisory service to assist North Canterbury residents with insurance claims, Civil Defence Minister and Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission Gerry Brownlee says.

This pilot programme will be set up to deal with the specific insurance needs of residents following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on November 14, 2016.

“I’m sure this announcement will be a relief for many residents who may be struggling with the complexities of their insurance claims,” Mr Brownlee says.

A longstanding agreement between Civil Defence Emergency Management authorities and national broadcasters has been renewed and strengthened today, Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

“While the government is working to fast-track new technology like cell broadcasting, it’s important to remember that traditional information channels provide a valuable source of information during emergencies,” Mr Brownlee says.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says an extension to the national transition period will continue to support recovery efforts following the Kaikōura earthquake.

Mr Brownlee has given notice of an extension to the national transition period in Kaikōura and Hurunui Districts and the Wairau-Awatere ward of Marlborough District, which will come into force at 1pm today and last for a further 90 days.

The extended national transition period for these areas will now end at 1pm on 7 June 2017, unless extended or terminated earlier.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the implementation of a new nationwide channel for sending alerts about emergencies to mobile phones is on track to be up and running by the end of the year.

Cell broadcast alerting is a new way of sending information to mobile phones in a set area without people needing to download an app or subscribe to a service.

“The alerts will appear similar to text messages. They are received automatically and for free by all cell broadcast enabled mobile phones in the area,” Mr Brownlee says.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the fires in Christchurch City and the Selwyn District have highlighted the need to streamline New Zealand’s Civil Defence legislation.

On Thursday, Mr Brownlee was scheduled to meet with representatives from all political parties to discuss the Civil Defence response to the Kaikōura earthquake.

He instead travelled to Canterbury to receive updates from the local and regional response teams and survey the blaze from the air.

Civil Defence and Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has requested the New Zealand Defence Force to provide support to local authorities in Christchurch as they deal with the Port Hills fires.

“The Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group has offered its assistance to both Selwyn District Council and Christchurch City Council but at this time the councils have not declared a state of local emergency,” Mr Brownlee says.

Three months after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on 14 November, encouraging recovery progress is being made in affected communities.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the government and local authorities are working alongside not-for-profit organisations and businesses on a multi-pronged recovery effort in the wake of the 14 November earthquake.

“People’s wellbeing and livelihoods are our top priority,” Mr Brownlee says.

The restoration of Kaikōura Harbour after last year’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced progress on the slipway, ramp and channel deepening as a result of the November 14 earthquake lifting the seabed between one and two metres in some areas. 

“At the moment access is severely restricted and the harbour channel is so shallow, it can only be used four hours a day – two hours either side of the tide,” Mr Brownlee says.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced $889,000 of funding grants to boost New Zealand’s resilience to natural hazards and their consequences.

Mr Brownlee says the grants are awarded from the 2017 Resilience Fund, an annual fund of $889,000 administered by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM).

Nine councils and organisations from Northland to Southland have been awarded grants this year.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced initial funding of up to $3 million to develop and enhance GeoNet’s natural hazards monitoring capability and response service.

The funding will support GeoNet - New Zealand’s official geological hazard information service - to further develop New Zealand’s hazards monitoring tools.

A grant of up to $5 million to help with the post-earthquake restoration of Kaikoura Harbour was announced today by Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce.

“This grant will ensure work can begin as soon as possible to dredge the harbour, which is a pivotal lifeline to the Kaikoura region,” Mr Brownlee says.

“The magnitude 7.8 earthquake on November 14 resulted in the seabed rising between one and two metres in some areas, which has severely restricted access to the region by sea.

The Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission (EQC) Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between EQC and private insurers.

EQC and New Zealand’s major private insurers have reached an agreement which will help ensure thousands of claims following the November 14 earthquake are resolved efficiently and in a timely manner.

Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says a National Transition Period issued today will help support recovery efforts following the November 14 earthquake.

The Minister has given notice of a National Transition Period in Kaikoura, Hurunui and Marlborough Districts, which came into force at 1pm today.

A National Transition Period provides for a National Recovery Manager to coordinate recovery activity if needed across the three district councils, the Canterbury Regional Council and central government agencies.

Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the passing of the Hurunui/Kaikōura Earthquakes Recovery Bill 2016 by Parliament today.

This is the third of three Bills in response to the Kaikōura earthquake sequence that started with a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on November 14.

“It will establish a time limited process to enable Acts and associated plans, to be amended by Order in Council, for earthquake-affected areas,” Mr Brownlee says.

Leader of the House and Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the passing of the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Emergency Relief Bill 2016 in Parliament today.

“This is the second of three Bills in response to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on November 14, and is about supporting individuals and communities to get their lives and livelihoods back on track as quickly as possible,” says Mr Brownlee.

Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says recent observations by GNS provide a timely reminder to all New Zealanders about the need to be prepared for earthquakes.

GNS has observed unusual activity involving patches of slow slip movement between tectonic plates in the lower North Island.

“This heightened activity increases the uncertainty about the likelihood and size of future earthquakes,” Mr Brownlee says.

The first of three new Bills in response to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on November 14 has passed unanimously in Parliament. 

Leader of the House and Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the Bills have been drafted by officials who have drawn on the experience of the Canterbury earthquakes and then further developed by a cross-party group.

“The new legislation recognises the extraordinary situation faced by earthquake-affected communities, particularly in the Kaikoura and Hurunui districts,” Mr Brownlee says.

Three new Bills have been drafted in the wake of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on November 14 to ensure the government can enable affected communities to respond quickly and efficiently.

Leader of the House and Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says new legislation recognises the extraordinary situation faced by earthquake-affected communities, particularly in the Kaikoura and Hurunui districts.

“The Bills have been developed by officials who have drawn on the experience of the Canterbury earthquakes,” Mr Brownlee says.

The 0800 779 997 Government Helpline has been activated to assist people needing financial and other support following the November 14 earthquake, Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley say.

The 0800 779 997 number will operate seven days a week from 7am to 9pm until further notice.

“The Helpline provides a one-stop source of information on the services and assistance available to people affected by the emergency,” Mr Brownlee says.

GNS Science has revised the magnitude of the large earthquake that struck at 12:02am on Monday from a 7.5 to a 7.8, Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

“GNS Science informed my office of the revised magnitude earlier today after reassessing the data from its stations across the country,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Because it took over a minute for the fault to rupture during this event, the standard method normally used to calculate the energy released during an earthquake was insufficient.

New Zealand Defence Force helicopters have so far airlifted 103 people from Kaikoura.

Defence Minister and Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the evacuees have been taken to Christchurch, where local authorities have been helping make arrangements for affected tourists. 

“The four New Zealand NH90 helicopters have been evacuating people and bringing in supplies on each flight,” Mr Brownlee says.