page_title: Earthquake Commission
section_title: Results of EQC's claim handling
hierarchical_section_title: Earthquake Commission / The Canterbury earthquake sequence / Results of EQC's claim handling
caption_attribution_description: English: Annette King at Onslow Kindergarten June 2011
context_page_description: The Earthquake Commission, is a New Zealand Crown entity that invests in natural disaster research and education as well as providing natural disaster insurance to residential property owners. It was established in its current form by the Earthquake Commission Act 1993, which was a continuation of the Earthquake and War Damage Commission, set up in 1945. It operates under the provisions of that EQC Act and of other relevant law, such as the Crown Entities Act 2004.
context_section_description: Throughout the process, EQC praised itself and its staff. This was echoed by the unwavering support given by the minister responsible, Gerry Brownlee.
  This support was contrasted by countless reports of EQC mismanagement at every level.
  In October 2017, a new government was sworn in and the minister responsible changed. In February 2018, Megan Woods, the new minister, expressed her frustration with the EQC board and the pace of claims settlement. After seven years there were more than 2,600 claims still unresolved. She said she would appoint an independent ministerial advisor to work with the board and management who would report directly to her. The minister said: I've made it clear I am not satisfied with where EQC is in respect of the Canterbury earthquake work seven years on from the 22 February event. 
  In response Maarten Wevers, the chairman and a lifelong public servant, resigned. He stated: "It is clear that the minister has no confidence in the board and staff of the commission. As chair, I take responsibility for that, and have stepped aside so that the minister can appoint someone whom she assesses will be able to do a better job." A few days later, the minister announced the appointment of Annette King as an interim chairperson, and said: "I'm keen to see a broadening of skills to include people who have been at the coalface and understand the reality faced by those people at the coalface".
  An editorial in the Otago Daily Times, on the same day, summed up opinions expressed numerous times elsewhere. It read:
  "It beggars belief that more than seven years on from the most damaging event – Christchurch's deadly 22 February magnitude-6.3 quake – there are still residents waiting for their claims to be completed. It is a disgraceful state of affairs, particularly when EQC was established to provide a rapid, comprehensive recovery from disaster. These quakes were its first really big test – and it failed. There are still more than 2600 claims outstanding out of more than 470,000".
caption: Annette King
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