Locke Keith: Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill — Procedure First Reading Second Reading Procedure Third Reading 
Locke Keith: Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill — Procedure First Reading Second Reading Procedure Third Reading 
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KEITH LOCKE (Green) 
: 
 The Green Party will be fully supporting the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. Since the horrific 22 February earthquake New Zealand has been mourning those who tragically were killed in that earthquake and our hearts are very much with their families at this very difficult time. In a myriad of ways New Zealanders have been extending their support to those who survived and those whose lives have been very badly affected. This support takes many different forms more than I think I have seen in New Zealand in as long as I can remember. It includes everything from the official response by civil defence—and I see that John Carter is with us today and civil defence has done a tremendous job—right through to the very grassroots things such as people having a little sausage sizzle in their street in suburban Auckland and sending the money as their contribution to those who have suffered. We particularly feel for those at the front line the medics and search and rescue people who are uncovering such horrible sights that none of us would ever want to experience. I pay tribute to people from all levels of society on behalf of the Green Party for the wonderful response across New Zealand. 
It is appropriate that we have a more formal opportunity as a nation to mourn what has happened and those who have died and the ceremony on 18 March will provide that but I must admit that when I first heard the Prime Minister’s announcement of the date my instinctual reaction was that it was too soon. Many of the bodies of the victims have not yet been identified and returned to their families. As of today only 65 of the 166 bodies have been identified and the families of most of the deceased have not had the opportunity to properly grieve with their loved ones. However I think this memorial service will help those families including the families of the overseas citizens who died mainly in the CTV building. They will all get to see that the whole of the New Zealand community is behind them and with them in their grief. 
I hope that the ceremony to be held a week tomorrow is more down-to-earth than many of the ceremonies that we as parliamentarians are involved in. An image in my mind is of a whole lot of dignitaries in suits ties and formal regalia and that clashes with another image that is in my mind from the time I spent going door-to-door in the suburb of Aranui of people who have not been able to wash their clothes for more than 2 weeks whose toilet is a bucket and who will find it quite difficult to travel over the cracked and bumpy roads to even get to the Hagley Park event. I certainly hope that they do get there. 
It is unfortunate that having a public ceremony so soon and declaring a public holiday has provoked quite a bit of angst and controversy amongst the good citizens of Christchurch which can be seen in the blogs and in the comments on the TV3 website at the moment for example. All the points made by people in Christchurch on those websites and blogs are relevant even if they do clash a bit with each other. Some business owners who are already on their knees have complained about missing a day’s work or the cost to them of a paid holiday. Others have replied in the comments section in blogs that the additional cost to business should not override the importance of collectively remembering the tragedy and huge loss of life. Both sides have a point and we should welcome such public discussion not only now but also in terms of the future of Christchurch. 
I think that whether it be on such matters as the memorial day which heritage buildings to reconstruct or whether to continue with the Rugby World Cup at AMI Stadium in Christchurch we should be open to that discussion. It worried me a little bit to read today that reports on the state of AMI Stadium would be shared with the International Rugby Board before the people of Christchurch were told. It seems to me that there needs to be a good public discussion about whether the Rugby World Cup games should go ahead at that Christchurch stadium weighing up all the pluses and minuses and there are a lot on either side. I am worried that there might be a fait accompli announcement by the Government the International Rugby Board or the Rugby Union. I hope I am wrong about that because although it is likely that there will be a reduction in the financial return if the games are held in Christchurch and there would certainly be many other difficulties with holding the games there this needs to be balanced against whether the games would be an important morale boost for the people of Christchurch. 
Although this memorial service is dedicated to remembering those who died in the earthquake it will inevitably be to some degree an opportunity to express our feelings towards all those in Christchurch who have suffered and who are still suffering as a result of the earthquake. Just about everyone living in the eastern half of Christchurch has suffered some degree of trauma and their nightmare has not ended. Nerves are frayed from not knowing just how big the next aftershock will be how much extra damage it might cause and whether they will be hurt. Then there is the sadness at the loss of precious items in the big quake worries about when homes will be repaired—if they can be—and where the money might come from. Add to that the daily grind for the many who are living without water and sewerage for the indefinite future. The memorial day will be an opportunity to remember those whose lives were lost but we will also be thinking of those whose lives are now badly damaged and who are living in their own version of hell. 
However the story of Christchurch is also the story of great resilience of community spirit and togetherness. When going door-to-door in Aranui offering food and support I came across a front lawn with a substantial fireplace and a pile of wood on it. The neighbours had been cooking food together. The next-door neighbour commented that it should not take a disaster to bring people together. But together they now are and this story is repeated across the affected suburbs of Christchurch. Earlier that day I had been at Canterbury University watching students mobilising with their shovels for another hard day attacking the liquefaction. It brought tears to my eyes because along with the Farmy Army the students have shifted tonnes and tonnes of silt that was covering the lawns and drives of so many householders who did not know what to do next. Much of the food that we were distributing on that day in Aranui was home-baked goodies. I was particularly touched by a set of buns covered with white icing. The person who had baked them had taken the trouble to add lettering in pink icing to each bun reading simply “We love you”. That to me is the spirit of Christchurch today. 
I agree with what Annette King said. We have to take time to grieve; we have to take a breath. The memorial service on 18 March is only part of the process; there is a lot more to be done. Everyone in this House particularly the Christchurch MPs—including the Green MP Kennedy Graham—are doing their utmost to offer assistance. That is to be commended. We are working very much in a cross-party spirit as we should in such a tragedy and I think we will all be together next week on 18 March with the people of Christchurch. Thank you.