Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:668;Page:14768] 
5. 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour—Waimakariri) 
 to the  
Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery 
: Will he support my recommendation to set up an advocacy support service to provide earthquake-affected residents with help in dealing with their private insurers to prevent them being shunted between these insurers and the Earthquake Commission? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery) 
: 
 Since receiving that recommendation late last week—Friday I think—I have had my office make contact with the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman to see what facilities might exist to expand some of the services there. I think it is very important that we do not begin by setting out a conflict situation between private insurers and claimants. It is worth noting that the first $100000 worth of damage to the above-ground property is the responsibility of the Earthquake Commission. In order to facilitate that work being done at a speedy pace—although I say that it will take a long time—we have put in place a project management structure which should see that work progress steadily. As for the 1200 or so houses that are identified as potentially—and I say only potentially—a total economic loss we first need to let the private insurers go and see what is required on their part whether it is rebuild or repair. Once we have a clearer picture about how that is unfolding I would hope sufficient services are available through existing Government agencies to assist people who are having difficulties. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: What action is he currently taking to help distressed and confused residents who are facing the strain of trawling through what I am sure he would accept is a maze of information and who have no access to independent expert advice? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I make the point that I do not think it matters how much independent expert advice one gets; if one is in a traumatised state one will have limited capacity to take the information on board. We have tried over the last few weeks to simplify the whole situation. We have had very thorough geotechnical examination of the ground that has been damaged. The result of that examination is that apart from 16 sections where there will need to be a bigger discussion about how to rebuild if at all in every case there can be a rebuild. That means that the people contacted last week should engage with their insurers—I have had discussions this morning with insurers and with the Earthquake Commission to make sure everyone is clear on this—and the insurers should then work out a work programme for either the demolition or the repair of that property. As the properties become available through either demolition or repair they can be remediated. In most cases that will mean simply compaction of the existing earth—filling and rolling. We are hoping the Christchurch City Council along with the Waimakariri District Council which has already done so will support the major civil works being done in the public space in conjunction with the rest of that rebuild. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Does the Minister accept that earthquake-affected residents are following the procedure that has been outlined—that is going to the Earthquake Commission which recommends that then they go to their private insurer—but are increasingly being treated as if they are in a pinball machine in that they are being bounced around between the Earthquake Commission and their private insurer and vice versa? What will he do to motivate private insurers to more swiftly shoulder their responsibilities when a person is referred by the Earthquake Commission quite rightly to the insurer and the insurer simply bounces the person back? It is creating heartache. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I do not accept that that is happening in all cases. I do not doubt that it is happening in some cases. Last Friday was the first day that there was clarity in the public arena about the ground. What is now happening is that information about properties where there is land damage is being shared with the insurers. The discussions that I have had with insurers this morning have I hope left them in no doubt that they now have a responsibility to get on with indicating either demolition or rebuild for those 1200 people. The vast majority of the balance—some 77000 households I believe—are likely to be dealt with through the project management office or if those people choose their own repair agencies. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: How many more Orders in Council does the Minister plan to recommend to the Governor-General under the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act and within what time period does he envisage these orders being issued? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I personally have no list of Orders in Council that we wish to put through. Orders in Council will be developed as difficulties arise or as problems emerge in the months ahead. I expect that all of the Orders in Council required will have been dealt with through the established process before Christmas at least. It may be that going into the early part of next year the legislation that we currently work under starts to become surfeit to requirement and we will review that as we go through. We have no desire to keep that power in place for any longer than is absolutely necessary. As the member knows Orders in Council that are being considered are supplied to Opposition parties ahead of time. I appreciate that in some cases the notice has been a little short; I assure the member that although that was the case for the raft of Orders in Council that have gone through it will not be the case for those in the future.