Upston Louise: General Debate 
Upston Louise: General Debate 
[Volume:670;Page:17277] 
LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupo) 
: 
 On Friday night I was listening to the news as I drove home and I heard the devastation in Japan unfolding. I must say that when I went to bed it was with dread as I wondered what on earth we would wake up to. The magnitude 9 earthquake off north-eastern Japan and the resulting tsunami and now the nuclear threat have caused widespread devastation with thousands of Japanese having lost their lives and many more thousands missing. Three Fridays ago I was in Auckland and met with some of the Japanese urban search and rescue team who had come to assist us in Christchurch. So it is hard to believe that by this Friday it will be our New Zealand urban search and rescue team that will be assisting Japan and returning their favour. 
But I want to focus just on Christchurch. It is fair to say that this crisis has united the nation. Rebuilding Christchurch will clearly be this Government’s main focus this year which it quite rightly should be. I am particularly proud of the leadership that John Key our Prime Minister has demonstrated in supporting those who are in such desperate need. It will be a long and complex task. It will not be a simple process. It will be about rebuilding Christchurch literally brick by brick. 
This is a Government that has responded very rapidly and very fully to the needs of those in Christchurch so I am somewhat staggered that an Opposition speaker took this opportunity to talk about the minimum wage when there are people in Christchurch who are desperate for housing and for social infrastructure. Those members are talking about $76 million. Where do they think it will come from? Does it grow on trees in their world? Well in Christchurch we are more interested in rebuilding and getting people’s lives back to basics. 
Let us look at this Government which is clearly in touch with what the people in Christchurch need and at the wraparound social assistance package we have provided. It has provided for both employees and employers—both sides of the puzzle. The Christchurch Earthquake Employment Support Package has paid out more than $72 million to businesses sole traders and employees. Earthquake support subsidy payments have been made to nearly 8000 employers covering over 41000 staff and over 9000 sole traders. Job loss cover has been provided to 4900 individuals. Then there is the $12 million that has been distributed through civil defence emergency payments to cover things like food clothing and housing. We have eight recovery assistance centres open and some of them are in the very hardest-hit suburbs. These centres provide a one-stop shop where people can sort out all sorts of emergency payments issues with housing get counselling or simply stop for a chat. There are also six mobile Work and Income vans supporting individuals who are in need in Christchurch. 
If we look at businesses we are pleased to see that some of them have already opted out of the Government’s earthquake support package. They received the desperate support they needed for a short time and now that they are back on their feet they are able to continue. We have provided employers with much-needed certainty during this very uncertain time by supporting them in paying their employees’ wages. There will be further support which will be announced shortly. 
It is fair to say that the Christchurch earthquake was this country’s darkest day but it was followed by some of our very finest moments. Every day heroes emerged whether they were the Student Volunteer Army the Farmy Army or people in our electorates up and down New Zealand. It will of course be a sombre day on Friday when the national memorial service is held in Christchurch but it will give the country an opportunity to mourn the great loss of life. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” We have seen this indomitable will in Christchurch and in Japan.