The reality of the enormity of the Christchurch earthquakes still hasn’t really sunk in. The Government’s focus on cutting deals for the rebuild hasn’t done a damned thing for those still living the reality of continued hardship.
The new Labour package announced by Cunliffe for Christchurch is as timely as it is welcome.
“Forty months after the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake there are still more than 10,000 insurance claims that have not been settled.
“An Earthquake Court – a special division of the Canterbury District Court – will deal with insurance claims of up to $1 million.
“Building on the experience of the current ‘Earthquake List’ it will streamline the process and cut through a back-log of cases clogging up the court system.
“To reduce the burden on families all costs, including lawyers’ costs and expert witness fees, will be paid for by the Crown. The Crown will recoup those costs from the insurance companies and EQC as a levy in proportion to the size of the awards granted by the Court.
So a real solution that provides a clear pathway for the medium term, followed up by something for the immediate difficulties…
“For people affected by flooding after the quakes, in government Labour will immediately start urgent work on quake-affected, flood-vulnerable homes.
“We believe the government, through EQC, must pay its share to help those families and communities who, because of the earthquakes, are now having to deal with land that has sunk and the subsequent flooding of their properties.
“We will amend the law as needed to make it clear that EQC must pay for earthquake damage in the form of land subsidence or other geological changes, and employ army engineers to help with the protection work.
…solution based policy is what voters are begging to hear. Labour have taken a long time before they start revealing policy. If the rest of their platform is as well thought out as this, David Cunliffe earns the opportunity to implement them in September.
It may have taken a long time but I can understand that because as we all know National will plagiarise any policy (albeit their version will be half arsed, rushed of course and totally ineffectual) it if it means gaining votes.
So true. Nail on the head yet again!
Yes the Nat’s could steal this policy because as per usual with Labour it is middle class welfare.
Middle class welfare?? A tad cynical Janine – correct me if Im wrong, but didn’t the earthquake effect all “classes” of people?
Yes it did but I call this middle class welfare because it only helps home owners. Where is the help for those in the rental market, living in cars and vans or about to be ejected or already ejected from their HNZ houses.
Well said Janine.
People I know in Christchurch find ‘we’re all in this together’ to be insulting. Disasters don’t affect all people equally.
Sure, Bob Parker told us that, and Gerry Brownlee told us that. Labour can shove it if they are gonna say the same thing again
I think the Greens had the best plan which was to have a small incremental tax (based on wealth) for ten years or so to cover the cost of the rebuild.
My understanding is this is already happening. The Labour policy was put in place before they even announced it. How brilliant is that!
This has nothing to do with middle class welfare, most of the houses munted and needing to be fixed, are IN LOW WORKING CLASS AREAS OF THE CITY.
It doesnt matter where they are, high, middle or low, the bullshit christchurch people have had to put up with, while these nat / act cats govt been in power is BEYOND THE PAIL.
COME LIVE IN CHRISTCHURCH FOR A YEAR or come down here and take a look at the situation for yourself..
That’s right Geoff. The Nats are letting the market decide as per usual.
Letting the ‘market decide’ how the aftermath of a natural disaster gets resolved.That’s how simplistic,(or should I say ruthless,) they are !
That’s how CORPORATE welfare works .
Natural disasters are a goldmine for them!
Most of New Zealand don’t know the half of it!
Actually I do live in Christchurch and my house is over the cap TC3 land etc and it is on the East. Still not fixed and backyard currently semi underwater.
However I still feel the biggest concern is the growing homelessness of poor people who don’t and never will own a house ( munted or not). Something needs to be done urgently about State housing here and elsewhere so everyone can have a reasonably comfortable home at a reasonable price. What’s labour’s plan for that?… and don’t say affordable housing for the children of middle class to purchase.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/10142203/This-isn-t-my-sob-story-I-m-lucky
Exactly.
Nobody is saying forget the insurance issue. But if Labour think they can fix the housing issue with insurance policies then what’s the point?
It will be a vote grabber in Chch. But the insurance policy fell flat throughout the rest of NZ. Labour seriously needs to change its ideology away from stimulating the market.
An insurance policy should be a footnote in their manifesto, not their fucken mission statement
What’s worse for New Zealand is that you think you are covered by insurance or EQC in a disaster, you aren’t. That’s the message that comes out of all that’s happened in Chch.
We bought a house that was damaged (others did the same) and were required by the banks to get back-to-back insurance cover. Now when I need the accommodation benefit cover, the insurance companies say ‘ … because the earthquake happened to the previous owner’s home , that insurance benefit does not apply to you”. Bullshit. This was never outlined to us in the policy and we even have a tape-recording of the Insurance rep saying “if you need to move out of your house we will pay up to $25,000 in accommodation benefits”. Other friends of mine also had the recording of the conversation and the insurance company said “it was a sales rep and s/he got it wrong!!!!”
To me, this is insurance fraud that could be taken to the proposed new Labour Insurance court. Insurance can outwit, outlast, outmaneuvre, the Chch average bloke, but let them try the same legal shell game with a court. It is a taster of what Insurance companies will do, when they have a business-centric right-wing govt. backing them all the way.
Houses with minor cracks were re-painted inside and out straight after the quakes. Those with more severe damage are being fed the line “you can expect this sort of thing with a house this age!”. It’s corrupt, it stinks as does almost everything this Tory-centric National, ACT, Maori Party and United Future Party touch.
The election can’t come soon enough. We need a government with a sense of social justice. Woe betide other parts of New Zealand if you have a disaster and there’s a National, ACT, Maori Party and United Future Party coalition in power.
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