Earthquake Recovery Archived
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The Government is working with councils and industry to maximise the recycling of the estimated 4.5 million tonnes of demolition and liquefaction waste from the Canterbury earthquakes, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Environment Minister Nick Smith announced today.

Gerry Brownlee Nick Smith Environment Earthquake Recovery
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The Government has used the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act to approve changes to the Waimakariri District Plan, freeing up 550 sections at the Silverstream Estates development in west Kaiapoi.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the plan change lifts the conditional approval status placed on the land by Waimakariri District Council commissioners in September, which required adjacent land to be developed before Silverstream could proceed.

The change enables sections to go on sale almost immediately.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the latest National Bank Regional Trends data showing Canterbury’s economy grew 1.8 per cent in the September quarter, following 2.6 per cent growth in the June quarter.

“Growth statistics for Canterbury in the last two quarters is clear evidence of recovery activity and is a testament to the resilience and commitment of Cantabrians,” Mr Brownlee said.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced the rezoning of a further 758 orange zoned properties in greater Christchurch, which means over 90 per cent of the residential orange zone has been rezoned since June.

"While some people have waited a long time, and a few are still waiting, this is progress," Mr Brownlee said.

Of the 758 residential properties, 341 properties have been zoned green, and 417 properties have been zoned red.

Land on the 341 properties zoned green can be repaired individually. 

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced the green zoning of 8300 non-residential properties across greater Christchurch which were previously in the un-mapped white zone.

The 8300 properties are a mixture of commercial and industrial properties, Ministry of Education and District Health Board land, parks and reserves, other community facilities such as halls, churches and child care facilities, and undeveloped private land.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson today announced funding of $300,000 for a range of health and safety initiatives to assist with the safe rebuild of Canterbury.

The funding is for the 2011/12 year and comes from the Employment Relations Education (ERE) Contestable Fund.

"The Government is committed to rebuilding Canterbury and ensuring that the transformation is achieved safely.  There has been and we will continue to see a large influx of contractors working in Canterbury,” Ms Wilkinson says.

Kate Wilkinson Labour Earthquake Recovery
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A new trade training complex at Christchurch Men’s Prison will prepare prisoners to help in the rebuilding of Christchurch, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said today.

The three workshops will provide training in plumbing, roofing and drainlaying, painting and decorating, and automotive engineering to around 130 extra prisoners annually.

Ms Collins, who officially opened the workshops this morning, says prisoners will be prioritised for training based on their upcoming release date and their willingness to help in Christchurch.

Judith Collins Corrections Earthquake Recovery
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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says new official data shows the region’s economy continues to improve strongly, with trade through Canterbury’s ports and airport hitting a two-year high of $950 million in September.

“The recovery is well under way,” Mr Brownlee said.

“This is the sixth monthly release of this data set and consolidates a number of positive trends over the period.”

The latest Ministry of Economic Development economic indicators show steady growth being driven by trade and manufacturing.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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A new temporary stadium with seating for 17,000 will be built in Christchurch for major sporting and cultural events.

"The new temporary stadium will allow Cantabrians to experience the excitement of Crusaders and Canterbury ITM Cup home games again as well as Phoenix football matches, rugby league games, other major sporting events, concerts and festival events," says Mr Key.

"I'm thrilled the New Zealand Rugby Union has also announced today our world champion All Blacks will play a test match against Ireland at the new venue in June next year.

John Key Prime Minister Earthquake Recovery
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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed today's announcement that a new temporary stadium will be built in Christchurch in time for next year's Super Rugby season.

"I'm absolutely delighted the Government has been able to pull together this deal to fund building the new temporary stadium in Christchurch," Mr Brownlee says.

"This means Cantabrians don't have to miss out on major sporting and music events for another year and will have many great occasions to look forward to," he says.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Nearly 80 per cent of the remaining 8096 properties in the residential orange zone in Canterbury have been rezoned to green, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

"This confirms that a further 6430 residential properties can be either built on as is or built on with individual remediation to damaged parts of their land.  

"Property owners will now need to work with EQC to repair their land, if required, and with their insurer or EQC to repair and rebuild their homes," Mr Brownlee said.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Three new categories for residential foundation design have been developed and will be required for repairing and rebuilding homes in Canterbury following the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, it was announced today.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said the foundation designs apply to the flat land in the residential green zone in Canterbury, which has now been divided by engineering experts into three new technical categories (TC1, TC2 and TC3).

Gerry Brownlee Maurice Williamson Building and Construction Earthquake Recovery
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The Government has made changes to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement to provide certainty to enable local authorities and developers to make land available for post earthquake residential development, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

"The region’s planning framework has to accommodate the extraordinary set of circumstances we face in Canterbury following the series of earthquakes over the last 13 months," Mr Brownlee said.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the latest release of official data showing Canterbury’s economy is making steady positive progress.

Today’s release is the fifth since the data sets were first released by the Ministry for Economic Development in June, and shows a number of clear trends.

Mr Brownlee said Canterbury had been amazingly resilient over recent months, with businesspeople and employees making small but significant changes in their daily lives.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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All Banks Peninsula, except for 20 properties in the Church Bay and eastern Diamond Harbour area, have been rezoned from white to green, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

"This means these homeowners can now get on with the process of repairing or rebuilding their homes if they were damaged by the earthquakes," Mr Brownlee said.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Recommendations in the interim report from the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission of Inquiry will support and assist the rebuild of Christchurch, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Mr Williamson welcomed the report, which was released today.

Recommendations in the report cover such matters as soil analysis and appropriate foundation design, changes to some structural design standards and construction practices, and use of new building technologies.

Maurice Williamson Building and Construction Earthquake Recovery
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The interim report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure caused by Canterbury Earthquakes has been released today by the Attorney-General, Christopher Finlayson.

Under its terms of reference, the Royal Commission of Inquiry was required to make an interim report report by 11 October, in advance of its findings in April 2012.

The interim report was presented by the Royal Commission of Inquiry to the Governor-General on Monday.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General Earthquake Recovery
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The Government has recognised the need for ongoing support of earthquake-ravaged Cantabrians and extended two temporary measures introduced after the September 2010 earthquake for a further year, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne announced today.

Interest on late payments
Inland Revenue has the discretion to remit interest on late payments where people were unable to meet their obligations because of the earthquake extended.

Peter Dunne Revenue Earthquake Recovery
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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today convened meetings in the residential orange zone with geotechnical engineers and officials in order to get clarity around the myriad of complexities that need to be sorted before rezoning can occur.

Mr Brownlee said he understood the growing frustration of those in residential orange zones, but despite a huge effort to date by hundreds of engineers and officials to find workable solutions the rezoning decisions were proving extremely complex.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Earthquake Commission (EQC) levies will rise early next year to help rebuild the commission's Natural Disaster Fund (NDF) and to more realistically reflect EQC's operating costs, Finance Minister Bill English says.

"The Government is committed to rebuilding Christchurch and supporting the people of Canterbury," Mr English says.

"The levy increase is a responsible step to ensure EQC can meet its long-term costs and continue to provide disaster cover around the rest of New Zealand in a sustainable way.

Bill English Earthquake Recovery
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The Government has moved to open up more land for residential development in Kaiapoi following the announcements in June and August that around 1000 properties in the Waimakariri District had been zoned red because of severe earthquake damage.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee is using his powers under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act to address the impact of noise contours around Christchurch International Airport that could prevent new residential development in parts of Kaiapoi.

Gerry Brownlee Earthquake Recovery
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Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced $1 million of funding for new scholarship awards for Year 13 Christchurch students whose plans for tertiary study may have been affected by the recent earthquakes.

The Canterbury Earthquake Scholarships will provide $2,000 each year for three years of study for 160 students.

“This additional financial support will help students take on tertiary study after what has been a traumatic time,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Education Earthquake Recovery
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Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced that communities and the education sector in Canterbury are to have the opportunity to take part in consultation on the future of education in the area following the recent earthquakes.

The feedback received will contribute to a draft Education Renewal Plan for greater Christchurch.

“Our challenge is to develop a bold and creative plan for the future of the education network,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Earthquake Recovery