Government updates

    Recent Government and CERA announcements and updates are below:

    28 October
    28 October
    14 October
    5500 more properties zoned green
    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. Read the media release here.
    11 October
    EQC levies rise to realistically reflect costs
    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. Read the full media release here.
    07 October
    Press Release - Changes proposed to RMA following report
    A report into approvals of subdivisions in Christchurch and Kaiapoi badly affected by Canterbury's earthquakes has resulted in the Government proposing changes to the Resource Management Act to better manage the risk of natural hazards.

    The Canterbury Fact Finding report can be found at: www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/canterbury-earthquakes/index.html

    Read the full press release
    06 October
    Press Release - 1000 more sections in Kaiapoi
    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.

    "We've made this one-off exemption to the noise contour because of the extenuating circumstances in Kaiapoi, which suffered severe damage in the earthquakes. It's unlikely any further exemption under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act will be on the cards." Read the full press release
    26 September
    CERA Workshops for Red Zone customers
    CERA will host a series of seminars for Red Zone customers in October, For a full list of dates and times, click here.

    Peter Bloy will be representing Vero on the afternoon and evening of 11 October.
    22 September
    Press Release - Minister Brownlee
    Final alliance agreement signed in Christchurch

    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 alliance includes the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), the Christchurch City Council, and contractors Fulton Hogan, Fletcher Construction, McConnell Dowell, Downer Construction, and City Care.

    An interim agreement between these organisations was signed on 3 May 2011, and that was formalised today with the signing of the final agreement by all partners.

    "Since the interim agreement was signed good progress has continued to be made on emergency repairs and on planning for the wider rebuild, which is likely to take more than five years," Mr Brownlee said.

    Forming an alliance is an approach to delivering complex large-scale projects where clients, consultants, and contractors from several organisations work together to meet quality, cost and time targets.

    The alliance model has been used successfully by NZTA in delivering a number of major state highway projects, including the Manukau Harbour Crossing, which was delivered nearly a year ahead of schedule and under budget.

    CERA is responsible for coordinating and leading the rebuild of Canterbury and supporting the welfare of its residents. For more information visit www.cera.govt.nz
    19 September
    17 September
    Brownlee on The Nation
    Minister Gerry Brownlee was interviewed by The Nation after he returned from his trip to Monte Carlo where he attended the annual Reinsurance conference.
    Read the transcript of his interview.
    15 September
    CERA Letters to Residents
    This is a list of letters sent out to customers in the various zones by CERA in the past week:
    Southshore, Spencerville and Brooklands Orange Zone12 Sep
    Kaiapoi Orange Zone9 Sep
    Port Hills White Zone - Charteris Bay6 Sep
    Port Hills Green Zone5 Sep
    Port Hills White Zone5 Sep
    13 September
    Building in White Zones
    Read about the Government's Intermin process for rebuilding in the White Zone.
    12 September
    Christchurch EQ Bulletin 109
    The Labour Party's Christchurch electorate have been producing a bulletin based on the activity in their communities.
    Read the bulletin.
    05 September
    Port Hills land announcement
    More than 9,700 residential properties in the Christchurch Port Hills area have been rezoned from white to green. About 3,700 properties remain in the white zone as further investigation is needed.

    The issues in the Port Hills are different to those in the low lying plains areas where there has generally been widespread land damage from liquefaction and lateral spreading.
    • In the Port Hills, the issues have largely involved potential rock fall, cliff collapse, land slips and risks of that nature.
    • Extensive geotechnical assessment supported the decision to rezone most of the Port Hills to green as it had shown a low geotechnical hazard risk.
    • More Port Hills land will be rezoned green soon, once further investigation and assessment is completed.
    • The www.landcheck.org.nz website has been updated to reflect the new zoning.
    • A letter from CERA was posted to the Port Hills area homeowners with further information on Tuesday 6 September 2011.
    • CERA will hold four community meetings in the Port Hills area in Sumner, Lyttelton, Cashmere, and Little River starting Wednesday 7 September 2011
    Announcement from Hon Gerry Brownlee
    02 August
    Government Press Release
    Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee talks about the strong interest in the residential red zone offer.
    Read the full release.
    22 July

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