Earthquake states of emergency extended

Canterbury residents clean-up after the earthquake. Photo / Greg Bowker

The states of emergency put in place after the Canterbury earthquake were this morning extended until midday Thursday.

The emergencies were due to be lifted at lunchtime today but Civil Defence Minister John Carter said mayors had decided to retain them "to ensure a smooth and safe transition from states of emergency to a state of urgency across the districts".

Mr Carter said the mayors believed it was "important to err on the side of caution" by extending the states of emergency in Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn.

"From tomorrow 12 noon, Mayors and Civil Defence officials who have had a lead role in managing the earthquake response in the three districts through the past 10 days will step back from that immediate response role," he said.

"In the recovery phase they will assist Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and the Earthquake Recovery Commission.

The Government's Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill passed into law yesterday as political opposites Act and the Greens both raised concerns over the sweeping powers it gives ministers.

The legislation creates an "Order in Council" mechanism that enables ministers to relax or suspend potentially every other act of Parliament - barring five dealing with constitutional matters - to the extent they may "divert resources away from the effort to efficiently respond to the damage caused by the Canterbury earthquake".

It also creates the Canterbury Earthquake Commission, comprising mayors of the three affected districts and central government representatives. It will advise ministers on what Orders in Council are required to speed up rebuilding efforts. The orders must be signed off by the Cabinet and the Governor-General.

Gerry Brownlee said recovery from last Saturday's earthquake would be one of the most significant events in New Zealand's history, but normal consenting and planning processes could delay rebuilding efforts by years.

"Business as usual won't work ... This bill will be the House's expression of a strong desire to remove bureaucracy that could slow down the very necessary work we now have to do."

The Greens supported the bill to its first reading but put forward amendments including limits to the scope of legislation it could override and shortening the duration for which it would apply.

As originally drafted the bill would have been in effect until 2015 but that was shortened to April 2012 after consultation with Labour.

- NZHERALD STAFF