Wagner Nicky: Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill — Procedure First Reading Second Reading 
Wagner Nicky: Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill — Procedure First Reading Second Reading 
[Volume:666;Page:13913] 
NICKY WAGNER (National) 
: 
 I rise to support the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill. I particularly thank Minister Gerry Brownlee and Minister Nick Smith for preparing this bill so quickly and so effectively since the Canterbury earthquake on 4 September. 
It is indeed a miracle that all Cantabrians have survived one of the worst earthquakes in our country’s history. Canterbury people have responded magnificently to the emergency. As I have knocked on doors in some of the worst areas in Christchurch Central I have found that I seem to have the same conversation. One asks people first how they are and they say they are OK or all right and within a few seconds they are saying things like they are so lucky. They all have a reason why they are so lucky. It might be something as simple as the cat having turned up or that their bedroom has only one crack in it. The most amazing courageous elderly people that I came across had a house that was absolutely destroyed. The garden was torn up there were cracks in the driveway and every room was almost impassable. They said they were so lucky because they have a campervan in the drive and they can drive away any time they like. 
That is the sort of spirit that has been coming from the Canterbury people. It warms one’s heart to hear of it. Every Cantabrian every family and every organisation has been affected. We are all licking our wounds but also we are all counting our blessings. We are all absolutely resolved to restore and rebuild our great region with vigour and with speed. 
Christchurch and Canterbury are full of can-do Cantabrians and the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill will enable us to move swiftly to begin the long hard work of restoration and rebuilding so we can all get back to that everyday comfort of business as usual. The bill will allow the region to move seamlessly from the present state of emergency to recovery mode and it will provide a mechanism to coordinate reconstruction. 
Thousands of New Zealanders from all over the country have rallied to support Canterbury and have worked side by side with us. Thousands of people have worked tirelessly over the last 10 days and we have made great progress; I thank each and every one of them. We have already heard mention of young people who have been out there giving their time and energy to the clean-up effort. A large group of about 1000 students have taken turns digging out some of the worst areas. There has also been a group of students from Mairehau High School. Those students have been out there in their neighbourhood doing their bit. 
The interesting thing about this is that it has raised the spirits of the whole community. I have talked to elderly people and they have asked me whether I have heard about the students. They feel so much better now that they know that the students are out there. The interesting thing about those students is that they have caught the imagination of the world. The story of those mostly university students has actually gone out globally and it has even been in newspapers in places as far-flung as Pakistan. 
We have seen a real rallying of spirit in Christchurch. We now have a really good feeling for the future of our city and we want to move forward. I have always been a one-eyed Cantabrian but after the last 10 days I am very happy to identify as a one-eyed New Zealander as well. Thank you.