Burns Brendon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Burns Brendon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:669;Page:15999] 
6. 
BRENDON BURNS (Labour—Christchurch Central) 
 to the  
Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery 
: Is the Government’s response package announced last week to assist Canterbury businesses affected by the 4 September earthquake universally supported by the Government and its supporters? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery) 
: 
 The member will be aware that this Government has a vast number of supporters and as one of its own members pointed out today some of those supporters do have occasional disagreements with the Government. So I would not presume to speak on their behalf. 
Brendon Burns 
: Given that the $600000 package the Minister announced is mostly the salaries of 2.5 business mentors with just $100000 in cash to promote struggling Canterbury businesses does he truly believe that that is anywhere near sufficient when hundreds of small and medium sized enterprises in Canterbury have since the quake seen turnover drop by half or more and are shedding staff or going to the wall as a result? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I am aware that there are hundreds if not thousands of businesses in Canterbury that have adjusted to these conditions and that are thriving. I am aware of a number of businesses that do have difficulties. In the end it is getting customers through their door that will make the biggest difference to them in the long term and that is what this package at this point is focused on. 
Brendon Burns 
: Is it correct that the very modest bids for funding to assist business recovery totalling $4.1 million from the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise North Canterbury were turned down by the Government for fear of creating a “precedent” and on that basis what support could businesses in Wellington Auckland or any other New Zealand centre expect if they were similarly devastated by a once-in-750-years natural disaster? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The Government spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year supporting sectors in the New Zealand economy. Many of those sectors have businesses that are affected in this way. It is getting customers through the door that is the most important thing for those businesses and that is what we are focusing on. As for the package that was requested by the chamber of commerce and by the people out at Kaiapoi all I can say is that no criteria for the way that that money might have been spent were provided to the Government with satisfactory answers about what it might achieve. So yes it was declined. 
Hon Jim Anderton 
: Apart from the Earthquake Commission and insurance company payouts the premiums for which of course are paid for by householders or companies themselves how does the Government funding provided to workers and businesses affected by the force 7.1 earthquake compare with drought flood or biosecurity funding or Auckland’s roading infrastructure given the scale of destruction and loss suffered by businesses and workers in Canterbury as a result of the earthquake? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The first point I will make is that the recovery from the Canterbury earthquake will take a very long time. The Government will need to make available various types of assistance as the next couple of years progress. I can say to the member that we think the best thing that can happen for businesses in Canterbury is to get customers through their doors. That is what this package is designed to do. We have also been informed that that package particularly the promotional side can be leveraged and we have had offers through media organisations to do that meaning that the value will be a great deal more. This is a unique situation. There are many many needs that will need to be met and the Government is if you like triaging exactly where that support should go and at what time. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Will he accept my invitation to attend the next round of public information meetings that I will be organising for earthquake-affected— 
Hon Nathan Guy 
: Oh! 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: The member might not be interested but the people of Canterbury are. Will the Minister accept my—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I believe the level of interjection was not that great. The member should just ask his question. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: This is a serious issue. Will he accept— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I invite the member to just ask his question. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Will he accept my invitation to attend the next round of public information meetings that I will be organising for earthquake-affected residents so that he can provide detailed answers to the people for instance of Kaiapoi who are feeling increasingly frustrated with the lack of information from the Government and who along with other residents of Canterbury have repeatedly asked him to front up and answer their questions? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I totally reject any suggestion that I have not fronted up or have shown any reluctance to answer questions. What I am not interested in dealing with is some of the silly speculation that goes on from people who perhaps have not read all the information that is available at the present time. I say to the member that in the new year I will consider running meetings myself to give that information. What I would also say as someone who is personally affected by this is that I think the communications at this point given the complexity of the problem have been perfectly adequate and rarking people up unnecessarily does not help them. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Is the Minister aware that for many earthquake-affected residents who have been forced from their homes their private insurance cover for temporary accommodation lasts only 6 to 12 months; if so what extension to its response package is the Government considering to assist these earthquake victims when this temporary accommodation assistance runs out? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: That is a very real and serious problem that the Government has a team working on. I have myself had discussions this week with the Insurance Council about how we might give effect to sorting out that problem.