King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:670;Page:17117] 
1. 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Is he satisfied that all systems set up pursuant to commitments he has given to assist residents following the Christchurch earthquake are appropriate and working? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Deputy Prime Minister) 
on behalf of the  
Prime Minister 
: Generally yes but due to severe damage in the eastern suburbs some households may well be without power water and sewerage for some time yet. However I want to assure people that everything that can be done is being done to restore essential infrastructure. 
Hon Annette King 
: Will he ask the Minister of Finance to issue a direction under section 12 of the Earthquake Commission Act requiring prompt and direct payment for rebuilding in Christchurch in light of comments by the master plumbers’ chairman Mark Whitehead and builder Nick Rogers who said today that they are refusing to carry out rebuilding work for the Earthquake Commission because they do not get paid and they are now requiring distressed homeowners to pay cash up front before any work is done? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I do not think that the Earthquake Commission would need a direction to ensure that it does as much as it can do to expedite the rebuilding process. I understand the pressure particularly on contractors who were expecting the rebuild from the first earthquake to be well under way now. That has been delayed by maybe a month or two. But we will work with the commission to ensure it does it as fast as it can. 
Hon Annette King 
: In light of that answer will the Prime Minister ask the Minister of Finance to take urgent steps to ensure contractors and subcontractors who are owed thousands of dollars by the Earthquake Commission for emergency work done after the September quake are paid given that in order to avoid their businesses failing with the loss of hundreds of jobs some businesses have already taken out loans to stay afloat? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Certainly if there are contractors who have not been paid and who should have been paid according to normal credit terms then the Earthquake Commission should get on and do that. But I think the significant shorter-term problem concerning the construction industry in Christchurch was its expectation that it would be gearing up quite rapidly now and that has been delayed by the second earthquake. All the parties involved though now have a great deal more experience in how to get this work under way faster and I hope it will be under way faster than last time round. 
Hon Annette King 
: Does he agree with Mayor Bob Parker that landlords who are hiking up rents on houses and business premises in Christchurch are “looting by another name” and has he considered taking action similar to that of the Federal Government of the United States following Hurricane Katrina when it limited the increase in rents etc. to no more than 10 percent to prevent greedy landlords from profiting from other people’s misery? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: We would share the mayor’s concern if there is significant profiteering. The Government will be listening to the advice of the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery who is on the ground and also shares those concerns. 
Hon Annette King 
: Who is collating and acting on information about vulnerable residents—for example elderly people who are living alone people who are bedridden and those with disabilities—when some have been visited several times by various agencies including Maori wardens the police the army social agencies etc. and others have not been visited at all and how can the Government ensure that these people get the assistance they need? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: As the member has pointed out a number of agencies regard it as their obligation to contact vulnerable people who simply do not have the capacity to deal with the difficult circumstances they find themselves in. There is quite a bit of work going on to try to coordinate those efforts to ensure that there is complete coverage and no one is left out. 
Hon Annette King 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I really appreciate that answer but would the Minister be able to tell us by whom—that is the issue. Who is collating and acting on this information? That is the core of the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: What I will do is to allow the member to repeat her question but do keep it succinct. 
Hon Annette King 
: Who is collating and acting on the information about vulnerable citizens in Christchurch some of whom have been visited by many agencies and some have not been visited; who is ensuring that they get the services they need? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I would not want to give the member an exact answer about that specific task. It is quite likely that the Ministry of Social Development is the primary Government agency for delivery of the contact by telephone calls the social assistance with the Earthquake Commission assessors—social workers going around with the assessors—and setting up the neighbourhood offices that give more people easier access to the support. But I will check to see whether the ministry is performing that particular task. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: What procedures will be followed when determining which heritage buildings damaged by the earthquake will be demolished? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I cannot answer that question in detail because it is the subject of discussion between the civil defence controller the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and the Christchurch City Council. But clearly there needs to be a transparent and predictable process for dealing with that issue. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: Does he agree with the comments of the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery on the preservation of heritage buildings: “There is a need to move fairly quickly” and “if I had my way they’d be down tomorrow.”? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The Minister has expressed a view that a number of older buildings that after the first earthquake were regarded as heritage buildings worth preserving have now collapsed and killed people. He has expressed the view that some of those buildings should be dealt with because they are dangerous. We would expect that regardless of whether they are heritage buildings if they are a danger to public safety they should be dealt with shortly.