Gilmore Aaron: Ministerial Statements — Earthquake—Christchurch Earthquake Christchurch—Extension of State of National Emergency 
Gilmore Aaron: Ministerial Statements — Earthquake—Christchurch Earthquake Christchurch—Extension of State of National Emergency 
[Volume:670;Page:16963] 
AARON GILMORE (National) 
: 
 Christchurch will never be the same again. Christchurch is where I was born it is where I grew up and it is where seven generations of my family have done the same. My mum and dad’s house my brother’s house the houses of two of my uncles and aunts and the houses of six of my cousins are all ruined. The movie theatre I went to first as a kid is now in rubble the shop where I played my first space invaders game no longer exists and the place by the corner dairy where as a child I used to eat my first ice creams no longer exists. The high school that I went to—Shirley Boys High School of which I am its first MP in this House—is in ruins. Christchurch will never be the same again. 
But as someone living in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch who grew up there I say that this earthquake gives us a massive opportunity. It gives us the opportunity to hope that we will make the city better and stronger. You see to me there are many things that will never be the same again. My 5-year-old daughter has a fear of going upstairs in any building she goes into. She has a fear of using a toilet; she is not sure whether it will come back up and bite her as she says. She has a fear of going to school simply because the ground opened up at her school in front of her. To me those things will take longer to fix. 
For me one of the wonderful things has been the generosity of the people of New Zealand. People have come from all over. I spent days with farmers digging out the rubble of everything from Aranui to Burwood to Parklands. My own home dodged the bullet and is fine but if I go two blocks further south it looks like downtown Baghdad about 10 years ago. I would like to thank my senior whip Chris Tremain for his time and effort. He spent a number of days with me to help me dig out my suburb and to help with my people. I would like to thank the farmers of New Zealand. I have asked for 20 farmers on any day to help rebuild a community and it has happened. 
Ordinary people have stepped up to do extraordinary things. I saw an information technology expert walking around streets with a ladder. He had fixed 70 roofs for free but he said: “That’s what you do in times like this.” I saw an Indian immigrant who had been in New Zealand 18 months. He spent the time fixing the wheelbarrows of the Student Volunteer Army because that is just one of the things that one does. 
Our city is strange but I think it could be better. Many may not know the motto on the coat of arms of my city. One part of it is “Spe fortis” which means that Christchurch is strong in hope and bold in her claim upon the future. Our city forebears who wrote that a long time ago would never have envisaged that the city would be in ruins but they would have envisaged a city in the future that could be rebuilt and be a model for the world. For me that is what I see. I will endeavour to stay and work in Christchurch until the last brick is laid the last road is paved and the last pipe is in the ground. It is my home and always will be. 
Some people have sent their love some have sent their hands to the people of Christchurch but right now most of all we need money. The city is a mess and I encourage everyone not to talk but to come and help to raise money in their own communities and to contribute to the rebuilding of our schools our homes and our wider communities. We are a tough resilient people but we need other people’s help. Thank you.