Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has welcomed today's release of a Department of Building and Housing technical investigation into the performance of three buildings in Christchurch.

The report released today covers the Pyne Gould Corporation, Forsyth Barr and Hotel Grand Chancellor buildings. However, the technical investigation into the fourth and final building - the Canterbury Television (CTV) building is far more complex and will be part of a second report, which will not be completed until the end of this year or early 2012.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the signing today of a final agreement between the alliance of parties that will manage the $2 billion rebuild of Christchurch’s badly damaged infrastructure.

The alliance will be responsible for repairing and rebuilding the earthquake damaged ground level and below ground infrastructure, including roads, water, wastewater and stormwater.

The government has moved to give Canterbury’s tertiary institutions greater financial certainty as they work to recover from the effects of the September and February earthquakes.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says the government’s 2012 funding commitments, which were made prior to the September 4 2010 earthquake, will be met despite an expected decrease in enrolments.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says that the movement of students away from Christchurch and within the city since the February earthquake will result in a redistribution of resources for schools.

3500 students from Christchurch remain enrolled in schools outside the city, while over 1500  students have  moved to different schools within Christchurch.

An interim process to enable some white zone commercial property owners in Canterbury to begin the repair or rebuilding process has been developed, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

"When the Government announced the definitions of the four zones of land in June, the white zone was defined as unmapped and included all commercially zoned property as well as schools and community facilities.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has welcomed the return of Shirley Boys’ High School to its original site in Christchurch, after 26  weeks of site-sharing following the February earthquake.

From tomorrow, 1300 Shirley Boys’ High students will be able to return to their home site, which suffered significant damage and liquefaction.

The Government has invested $2 million in repairing the site, making five damaged blocks safe and bringing in eight relocatable classrooms to replace the administration block and library which remain unusable.

The Government has approved $15 million for Canterbury District Health Board to relocate Christchurch Hospital's outpatients unit and the Acute Medical Assessment Unit.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said, "We have fast-tracked the approval for this work so that the facilities will be ready in time for the 2012 winter peak in demand.

"The DHB's earthquake recovery plan has identified a need to increase short to medium term medical bed capacity, and to pull most of the General Medicine services back on to one site.

Justice Minister Simon Power and Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson today visited the Nga Hau e Wha Marae in Bromley, which is being used as a temporary courthouse following the Canterbury earthquakes.

The marae has been hearing both criminal and family matters since April, and is one of several interim court facilities operating while the main court buildings are unable to be reoccupied.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed economic indicators released today that show the manufacturing and export sectors in Canterbury continue to perform well.

"The indicators released today by the Ministry of Economic Development also show the large earthquakes on 13 June have not had a significant impact on Canterbury’s recovery," Mr Brownlee said.

Economic activity since the 13 June earthquakes is consistent with the period following the February earthquake, he said.

Cabinet has signed off the release of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s draft Recovery Strategy for public consultation, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

"While the initial recovery is well underway in Canterbury, this strategy sets out a proposed direction and priorities for the long term recovery of greater Christchurch," Mr Brownlee said.

"This document will help shape how we rebuild the city and region in partnership with the private and public sector and with the people of greater Christchurch.

More than 9700 residential properties in the Christchurch Port Hills 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.

Cabinet met today in Christchurch and approved the rezoning of the majority of land in the Port Hills into the green zone. About 3700 properties remain in the white zone as further investigation is needed.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced that Christchurch is to have a new Trades Academy, and that student places are to more than treble at the existing Academy in the city.

Following applications from across New Zealand, the National Trade Academy in Christchurch has been selected as one of ten new providers to support secondary school students at risk of disengaging from education. Students will develop practical skills for the workplace, while gaining credits towards NCEA and a tertiary qualification.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the one year anniversary of the 4 September 2010 earthquake is a time to reflect on the unprecedented events which have spilled well beyond Canterbury to touch all New Zealanders over the past year.

"The 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck at 4:35am on 4 September was not only the largest quake to strike this country near a major population in almost 80 years, it also kicked off a series of seismic events the likes of which hasn’t been seen anywhere else in the world," Mr Brownlee said.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says Cantabrians affected by the past year’s seismic events and all other New Zealanders should have no concerns about their Earthquake Commission (EQC) claims being settled in full.

His assurance follows today’s announcement that the EQC has revised its estimated Canterbury earthquakes liability upwards by about $4 billion to $7.1 billion.

"EQC’s fund is government guaranteed to protect claimants’ interests," Mr Brownlee said.

The Earthquake Commission (EQC) has increased its estimated Canterbury earthquakes liability by about $4 billion to $7.1 billion, Finance Minister Bill English says.

The new estimate follows an actuarial valuation of EQC's liability, based on available field assessments of damage claims. It includes an increase of $2.17 billion from the 22 February earthquake and $1.42 billion from the 13 June earthquakes and other aftershocks, which were not previously included.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee will next month lead a government delegation to meet insurers, re-insurers and insurance underwriters in Europe.

Mr Brownlee will take officials from the Treasury, the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), GNS Science and the Department of Building and Housing (DBH) to meetings with the world's major insurance decision makers.

"We fully understand insurers’ reticence to write new cover during what is an ongoing, albeit decreasing, seismic event.

The Government is offering to do all it can to ensure the rezoning of land for residential development in Kaiapoi happens as quickly as possible, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.

Dr Smith today visited Kaiapoi with MP Kate Wilkinson and met with officers from the Waimakariri District Council and Environment Canterbury to discuss the issue of rezoning land for residential development.

The Government will fund further legal assistance for families of Canterbury earthquake victims, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.

Government will appoint a new Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury and Christchurch Earthquakes, with a specific focus on representing the interests of the families who lost loved ones in the 22 February 2011 earthquake.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the first 3000 of about 5000 property owners whose houses were zoned red on 23 June will begin receiving government letters of offer for their properties over the next couple of days.

“We set ourselves an ambitious goal of mid-August to get offers to Christchurch’s hardest hit residents, and I’m pleased to say we’ve met that target in respect of homeowners who promptly returned their consent forms to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority [CERA],” Mr Brownlee said.

Following careful consideration the government will be making offers to purchase a further 940 properties in Kaiapoi and Pines Beach north of Christchurch, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced today.

Of the 1230 residential properties zoned orange for further investigation on 23 June, 860 in Kaiapoi and 80 in Pines Beach have now been zoned red, 220 in the northern part of Kaiapoi have been zoned green and a further 70 in the western part of Kaiapoi will remain in the orange zone for the time being for further investigative work.

The New Zealand Law Society has begun circulating information to its members to allow them to be able to respond to the expected strong demand for advice from recipients of Government offers to purchase in the designated Red Zone.

“Due to the nature of the offers, there are variations from the standard sale and purchase agreements,” says Mr Brownlee.

“Being familiar with the documentation will allow lawyers to give better advice and service, from receipt of the offers by homeowners.

Prime Minister John Key today welcomed the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal’s commitment to help the city’s CBD retailers kick-start their businesses ahead of summer.

Restart the Heart, an initiative to give temporary, re-locatable accommodation to displaced businesses, will receive a $3.36 million interest-free loan from the Appeal.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee today welcomed the Christchurch City Council's release of its draft recovery plan for the Christchurch central business district.

The draft CBD Recovery Plan details more than 70 projects, including 10 key projects, to be implemented over the next 10 to 20 years as part of the rebuild of Christchurch following the series of major earthquakes and aftershocks in the region.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says he supports the process being undertaken by the Christchurch City Council to release its draft plan for redevelopment of the central city.

The council has been criticised for not releasing the draft plan 48 hours ahead of its open full council meeting on Thursday, as it’s required to under the Local Government Act 1987.  It intends to release the plan immediately following tomorrow’s meeting.