Credit where it’s due

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, March 21st, 2011 - 18 comments
Categories: disaster, housing, jobs - Tags: ,

On Friday, the government sent out a Request for Proposal for building companies to build 2,500 temporary modular homes in Christchurch. It looks like step towards the rebuilding plan I and others have been suggesting for the past couple of weeks. Now, lets see an aggressive timetable and a plan for what comes next.

Key announced this temporary modular home plan on Q+A yesterday. Perplexingly, he played his cards close to his chest regarding where these homes will be located, when they will be build, and precise numbers (‘up to 2,500 but as many as 5,000’) but some action is better than none.

This looks like the first stage in the rebuilding plan I outlined here, here, and here. ChrisH has also made important related comments here, here, while Labour stung National over the lack of a plan last week in the House, and Fletchers went ahead and drew up its own scheme in the absence of government leadership.

Getting temporary housing up must be just one element of the plan. Concurrently, there needs to be a skills strategy. The exodus of skilled building people to Australia needs to stop and more people need to be trained. Even choosing a low-skill building system like HiB doesn’t eliminate the need for sparkies and plumbers, and only reduces the need for trained builders. Getting all these temporary houses made will be impossible if skilled trades people continue to head for Australia at rate of 70 a week. Labour has been questioning National vigorously on this issue, and been getting fobbed off, which doesn’t bode well.

Frankly, it’s a disgrace that it took National a month just to ask for this Request for Proposal. It should have been obvious to anyone from day one that thousands of temporary houses were needed. Weeks have been lost unnecessarily. It’ll be months before a significant number of houses are erected,although the government could speed things up with the use of low-skill building systems and/or a crash skills plan.

I want to hear Key say that the government intends to have Christchurch’s homeless need to be in temporary, weathertight homes by winter, 3 months. It’s a timeframe that really is ambitious for New Zealand.

And then I want to hear how the government is going to lead the permanent rebuilding. After Hurricane Katrina, rebuilding was so slow that some people were still in FEMA trailers five years later. We need to do much better than that. Again, an ambitious plan that is a real plan, unlike ‘50% by 2050’ and ‘catch Australia by 2025’, is needed along with an associated skills package.

In a concession to the point made by r0b and others, Key also indicated that there would be a new ministry of earthquake recovery. Gerry’s not going to be ‘busting through red-tape’ any more. He’s going to have his own army of red tape layers. This is an important and mature concession on the government’s part. You can’t undertake an enterprise as enormous as rebuilding a city without professional policy advise, planning, contracting, and auditing, as examples of tasks the new ministry will undoubtedly undertake. The rebuilding will have to be government-led and, without civil servants to give effect their their words, the government is just some fat guys in suits making speeches and giving interviews.

By the by, Key’s ‘10,000 homes will have to be demolished’ has now been replaced with 5,000. Key’s mistake in plucking that number out of the air was haste when speed was needed.As was the destruction of businesses in the CBD under Gerry Brownlee’s watch.

A two-day moratorium on demolitions ends today. Hopefully, Brownlee has the cowboys under control now. The fact that Clayton Cosgrove couldn’t get a meeting with the Civil Defence controller, John Hamilton, to discuss this issue on Friday because Hamilton was tied up with Prince William and Key’s photo ops is a disgrace.

18 comments on “Credit where it’s due ”

  1. ianmac 1

    One of the news clips I think on Al Jazeera showed the Japanese already building temporary housing 8 days after the tsunami.
    Surely it would be easy to arrange for a sort of lease of private land in order to build temporary housing, as long as it really was temporary of course.

    • Colonial Viper 1.1

      Lease of private land? Perhaps, but I thought we had a state of emergency. Any land the Govt requires temporarily it should take control of, and pay back compensation to owners. We are talking about looking after thousands of families here.

      • Bright Red 1.1.1

        yeah, but you’re talking about the national government.

      • felix 1.1.2

        Don’t be ridiculous CV, the SoE is for keeping the masses in line, not for interfering with the sacred property rights of wealthy South Island land owners.

    • Lanthanide 1.2

      I suggest that the Japanese situation is quite a bit different from ours. Huge swathes of their coastline is completely and utterly destroyed, whereas in CHCH most (>95%) houses are still standing and at least liveable for the time being, so there is less pressure here. Japan has people living in tents that are warmer when they freeze overnight than when they don’t, so any hastily built shack is going to be an improvement even if it doesn’t have power/water. Japan is also a lot more competent at organising fast social responses to things like this.

      • felix 1.2.1

        “Japan is also a lot more competent at organising fast social responses to things like this.”

        Do you mean something inherent in their genetics makes them better at it?

        I suggest its simply that their govt doesn’t have its head up its arse.

        • Lanthanide 1.2.1.1

          No, their cultural society is a lot more suited to dealing with disasters. They get on and help each other and don’t complain in the face of adversity as much.

          • Zaphod Beeblebrox 1.2.1.1.1

            “No, their cultural society is a lot more suited to dealing with disasters. They get on and help each other and don’t complain in the face of adversity as much.”

            Actually that describes NZers pretty well as well as far as I can see.

            The problem is our TEA party government who are intent on destroying our civil institutions. Lets put the blame where it lays.

  2. aj 2

    Did I hear on the news, they are charging a rent on temporary housing?

    • Lanthanide 2.1

      I think that’s always been the plan. It is expected that your insurance will go to cover the rent, and I’d expect they’d also lob an amount of money towards people who need it (probably not really enough to fully cover everyone though).

  3. Drakula 3

    Ah yes you are always going to find preditors who are rubbing their hands over the wonderfull opportunity disasters are going to offer.

    The loan sharks are already offering loans to those who have lost their homes or who need to replace usefull belongings like cameras, computers etc. I would be interesting to see how much interest they charge.

    Harcourts have made a switch to the rental industry itching to handle the short accommodation situation. Will they take the usual cut?

    Some landlords are hiking the rents on the back of this as was mentioned on one of the other threads, so building temporary will go some way to address this but not all.

    The state of emergency (that could have been acted upon without pushing CERRA) could enforce a price freeze, rent freeze and a freeze on skilled tradesmen emigrating the country.

    But that is too late now the horse has already bolted!!!!!!

  4. Swampy 4

    People were still in FEMA trailers by choice, not because the rebuilding was too slow.

    • prism 4.1

      I have thought about the practicality of people such as those affected by Hurricane Katrina and the regular others that result in the area being called hurricane alley. They recognise that constantly rebuilding only dwindles their scarce resources even further. I can understand why trailer parks seem to be used for permanent homes. The possibility that all can be lost forces a simpler gypsy sort of life.

      In Christchurch the same could apply in the eastern suburbs. Housing uses in some cases, 50% of our weekly income, and with long-term commitments. A cheaper option of buying one’s own trailer or renting would probably leave money left at the end of the week instead of vice versa.

  5. Tel 5

    I suppose credit might be due, but given that this is the best Key can dither out (2500 maybe 5000 houses, built to NZ standard) is nothing short of a disgrace and borderline practical joke, considering this is the best he can come up with after a whole month. This is yet another classic case of sitting on their collective arses picking the 8 hour lunch out of the teeth that is a hallmark of this government.

    I’m curious as to why a website was not set up by government (easily done via the Civil Defence webpage) asking engineers, designers and architects to submit design proposals for modular homes, on the day of the earthquake. I for one would have volunteered my time to the cause, without hesitation, or any desire to get any financial compensation for a design they might choose to go with. Pooling ideas in this way would have been advantageous to large construction companies in many ways, not least of which is a business opportunity creating modular shelters for offshore markets for emergency relief housing. God forbid a manufacturer lead recovery takes place. Meanwhile back on planet real life….

    As usual with NACT we’re being dished up “temporary housing” as a solution that could so easily have been a village of homes that people, not only admired, but desired to live in. Properly conceived small homes and/or shelters could easily be designed to exceed our national code requirements by double today’s standards and in this way make them not only future proof but marketable to the general population as a new home. I’ve not seen an image of the temporary housing I heard described on the radio yesterday, so overwhelmed by the sound of skinflint Key grinding his teeth as he talked of spending money to stop people from freezing to death. I’m sure the homes will be warm (enough?) and welcomed by the people of Christchurch, where are they going to end up after they’ve completed the purpose of temporary shelter? I fear the Christchurch disaster, will live on the form of a visual blight of soulless shitboxes that a wallet moth would not live in being railed/trucked to the outer poorer regions of our towns and cities to live on as a semi-permanent monument to yet another John Key lead National Party failure.

    Future slum lords form an orderly queue please.

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    6 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL:  Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreement
     Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item:   Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki:     “Section ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record. Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    6 days ago
  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    6 days ago
  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    1 week ago
  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Cans of Worms.
    “And there’ll be no shortage of ‘events’ to test Luxon’s political skills. David Seymour wants a referendum on the Treaty. Winston wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Labour’s handling of the Covid crisis. Talk about cans of worms!”LAURIE AND LES were very fond of their local. It was nothing ...
    1 week ago
  • Disinformation campaigns are undermining democracy. Here’s how we can fight back
    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Misinformation is debated everywhere and has justifiably sparked concerns. It can polarise the public, reduce health-protective behaviours such as mask wearing and vaccination, and erode trust in science. Much of misinformation is spread not ...
    1 week ago
  • Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is not even an entry in Wikipedia. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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