Some personal reflections on the quake
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- Date published:
7:20 am, February 28th, 2011 - 57 comments
Categories: broadcasting, disaster, public services -
Tags: christchurch earthquake, RNZ, vanity posts
Greetings all, especially any readers in Christchurch and surrounds (though I know that you have better things to do right now than read a blog).
There’s been lots of good stuff written on the quake. I’m not going to try to add to it in any systematic way. These are just a few random personal reflections, big picture and small, all that I can put my head around writing tonight.
• Get used to it. It won’t usually be earthquakes (I hope), but extreme weather events are going to be increasing in frequency, and challenging us in similar ways. So be personally prepared with your physical resources and your skills. And support the country’s attempts to prepare and respond in whatever way you can.
• A general tax to rebuild Christchurch? Good idea.
• Just because it’s a platitude doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Health is everything. In this kind of event the elderly and infirm are incredibly vulnerable. All that material “wealth” around you? 90% of it is junk that you can do without. Health is the thing to have.
• Bloody olive oil. Once it’s fallen from a high shelf into an open draw full of pyrex and exploded onto the remains of a pantry, it’s a real pain in the arse. You try cleaning a litre of olive oil mixed with shards of glass out of the remains of a kitchen, with no water or power, you’ll see what I mean.
• Thank goodness for Radio NZ. When the power goes off, when the phones are down, when the shit hits the fan, there’s RNZ. I’ve recently been able to look at some of the great stuff that is available on the web, and I’m sure that was useful to those with access, but for many of us, radio was the lifeline.
• Thank you guy with a wheelbarrow. Wandering around the neighbourhood with a well used barrow, a shovel, and a big smile, you were out there looking for liquefaction to shift and people to help. Thank you to all of the volunteers and helpers, the professionals working huge hours, and the folk who just checked on their neighbours. Thank you all.
• The emergency response in the first few days was bloody brilliant. I don’t know who to thank here (I haven’t been paying much attention to abstractions). All I do know, from ground level, is that the right stuff happened, fast. Cordon’s up. Water distribution. Portaloos. Good advice on the radio. We had EQC people in the street looking at damage. Orion not only picked up the phone but they acted on the information. People and companies donated food and resources from far and wide. Brilliant.
• Let’s hear it for Big Government. Regulation regulation regulation – I heard one estimate (sorry forget where) that the building regulations, sensibly designed and honestly enforced, just saved 50,000 lives in Christchurch. Planning planning planning – whomever set up the EQC deserves a bloody medal. How would we ever cope without it?
• We were lucky with the season. This would have gone much harder in Winter.
• That amazing community feeling born of shared experience and shared challenge is very real and very uplifting. Will it also be enduring? For most (I am no longer in Chch) this is going to go on and on for days and weeks. Rebuilding will take months and years. From what I have recently seen of media coverage of damage to the city, my gut estimate is 10 years to rebuild. It’s going to be tough.
• Let’s try and see past the disaster for Christchurch, and forward to the opportunity. A chance to re-imagine the city. My vote – a proper light rail transit system, free bicycles and a car-free CBD. Plan now for a post-oil city, a chance to do it right.
That’ll do for tonight. Keep safe, wherever you are, and spare a thought for those in Christchurch. Even better, find some way to help out, if you can.
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- Release: Govt must help save 230 manufacturing jobs
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...1 week ago
- Govt shirks its responsibility to Whakaata Māori
The Green Party has called out the Government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse to a shell of its former self as job cuts and programming cuts were announced at the broadcaster today. ...1 week ago
- NZ First Member’s Bill To Disestablish Auckland Transport
Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...1 week ago - Release: PM fails in constitutional role and leadership
The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...1 week ago
- Waititi urges Rotorua Lakes Council to immediately stop works at Lake Rotokākahi
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...1 week ago
- Release: Patient care at risk from redundancies
Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running. ...1 week ago
- Greens call on Govt to wake up on child poverty
The Green Party says the latest statistics on child poverty in this country highlight the callous approach that the Government is taking on this issue of national shame. ...1 week ago
- Release: Police are off the beat under National
Foot patrols around the country have decreased 15 percent since National took office, despite National’s Mark Mitchell claiming otherwise. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Climate denial is an insult to Pacific leaders
Winston Peters’ climate denialism at the Pacific Islands’ Forum is an embarrassing new low. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt must end solitary confinement
The Green Party is urging the Government to end the use of solitary confinement within our prisons after new research revealed some prisoners have been held in confinement for more than 900 days. ...2 weeks ago
- Fossil fuels never the answer in climate crisis
The Government’s moves to enable the import of Liquefied Natural Gas is another step away from the sustainable and affordable energy network that this country needs. ...2 weeks ago
- Government must respect Court’s Uber employee decision
Today’s court ruling upholding the rights of Uber drivers is a message to the Government that it must not tamper with employment protections. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Uber court decision recognises workers’ rights
The Court of Appeal decision that Uber drivers are entitled to employee rights such as minimum wage, sick leave, holiday pay and collective bargaining is welcome news for the drivers involved and their unions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to divest from illegal settlements
The Labour Party is calling on the Government to tell the two major wealth funds, the NZ Super Fund and ACC, to withdraw investments from companies listed by the United Nations as complicit in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt backtrack on fast-track still not enough
Labour welcomes news that the National Government is backing down on its reckless proposal to give Ministers final sign-off on significant projects, but it’s still not enough. ...2 weeks ago
- Fast track still on track to environmental destruction
Our environment remains at risk despite the Government's proposed changes to its controversial fast-track legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Ohinemuri River pollution highlights mining risks
The harrowing images of the severely polluted Ohinemuri River caused by an old mining shaft could become a more common occurrence under the mining regime the Government is looking to roll out. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt Incarcerating our Mokopuna into a Failed System
Information released by the Minister for Children has revealed that almost 800 mokopuna Māori have been taken by the state this year, putting it on track for the largest displacement of tamariki Māori since the introduction of Section 7AA in 2019. “Oranga Tamariki is running a crusade against whakapapa Māori ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ Speech to Local Government New Zealand
...2 weeks ago
- Release: Regional deals can’t leave ratepayers picking up the bill again
On the back of a patronising speech to local councils the Government has rushed out an announcement on regional and city deals that leaves out the crucial component – funding. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt in thrall to tobacco lobbyists
The National Government has put the interests of tobacco lobbyists ahead of New Zealanders and their health. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt overreach on councils an assault on local democracy
The Government’s move to enforce austerity measures on councils is an assault on local democracy. ...2 weeks ago
- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...1 day ago - Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...1 day ago
- New appointments to the FMA board
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...1 day ago
- District Court judges appointed
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...1 day ago
- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...2 days ago
- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...2 days ago
- Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...2 days ago
- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...3 days ago
- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...3 days ago
- More choice and competition in building products
A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...3 days ago
- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...3 days ago
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...3 days ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...4 days ago
- Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency
The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “That is ...4 days ago
- Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape
The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...4 days ago
- Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...4 days ago
- Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review
Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...4 days ago
- Government backs women in horticulture
“The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says. “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...4 days ago
- Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout
The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...4 days ago
- Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants. “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...4 days ago
- New priorities to protect future of conservation
Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...5 days ago
- Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti
A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...5 days ago
- IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...5 days ago
- Delivering priority connections for the West Coast
A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...5 days ago
- Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington
A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...5 days ago
- Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...5 days ago
- Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki
A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...5 days ago
- Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland
A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...5 days ago
- Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland
A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...5 days ago
- Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure
A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...5 days ago
- Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui
A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...5 days ago
- Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay
A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that ...5 days ago
- Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne
A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...5 days ago
- Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury
A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...5 days ago
- Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...5 days ago
- Getting transport back on track in Auckland
A record $8.4 billion for transport investment in Auckland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will deliver the infrastructure our rapidly growing region needs to support economic growth and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Aucklanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, phantoms projects, ...5 days ago
- Record investment to get transport back on track
A record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more reliable and efficient transport network that boosts economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, ...5 days ago
- Consultation is open on gambling harm strategy
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has welcomed the start of Gambling Harm Awareness Week by encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on the next three-year strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm. “While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that ...5 days ago
- JOINT STATEMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON
1. Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim hosted Prime Minister Rt. Hon Christopher Luxon on an Official Visit to Malaysia from 1 to 3 September 2024. Both leaders expressed appreciation for enduring and warm bilateral ties over 67 years of diplomatic relations. The Malaysia – New Zealand Strategic Partnership 2. The ...5 days ago
- Mike Joy on his memoir and butting heads with Sir John Key
The scientist whose work prompted Sir John Key in 2011 to compare academics to lawyers says it was a "surreal" and "scary" time. ...6 hours ago - Results of school property inquiry yet to go to Cabinet
The inquiry was completed months ago, but the minister of education is still weighing up its recommendations. ...14 hours ago
- ACT pledges pushback on supermarket crackdown
Further regulation of the supermarket sector may hit a snag in the form of David Seymour, who is mounting strong opposition to any such move. ...19 hours ago
- The Weekend: Paralympics appreciation vs everyday apathy
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. The Paralympic Games end tomorrow after nearly two weeks of incredible athletic feats. On a purely results basis, New Zealand hasn’t done that well. As of writing (Friday), we’re yet to win a gold medal and are placed 61st out of 74 ...20 hours ago - ‘I wish I’d never thought of it’: The Blue Monkey on Suzanne Paul’s back
The infomercial queen looks back on an eventful life in TV, filled with Coronation Street, The Blue Monkey and a lot of reality television. Suzanne Paul is a New Zealand television icon. Born and raised in England, Paul worked around the world for 20 years before she arrived in Aotearoa ...20 hours ago
- Auckland’s secondhand bookshops, ranked and reviewed
Shanti Mathias visits and ranks the crème de la crème of Auckland’s secondhand bookshops. From Ponsonby to Grafton to Devonport to Parnell, Auckland has some lovely secondhand bookshops, many of which are huge and deserve to be browsed for hours, embracing the way that all bookstores, but especially secondhand bookstores, ...20 hours ago
- The Spinoff Essay: An ode to tea, the universal panacea
Skimmed Alive, Earl Gravy or Peanut Safari, there’s nothing like making someone a cup of tea exactly how they like it. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members. ‘Corrie climax sparks power surge.’ That was ...20 hours ago
- ‘A bogan-fuelled track to remind us where we came from’: Blindspott’s perfect weekend playlist
Damian Alexander and Shelton Woolright of Blindspott share their perfect weekend playlist. Few embody the “west is best” mindset as well as Blindspott. So, it’s probably a good thing the bogan rockers will be able to let their West Auckland sensibilities loose as a part of a supergroup comprised of ...20 hours ago
- Brokenwood – the international hit with a kiwi accent
It’s been a brutal year for New Zealand television, with the demise of Three’s Newshub news operation, costing 300-odd jobs; and the canning of TVNZ’s highly rated Fair Go, Sunday and Late News programmes.It’s also been announced the long-running soap Shortland Street will be cut to three nights a week, ...20 hours ago - The Secret Diary of .. Christopher Luxon
MONDAYGreat news for the nation! In a gesture that I know will resonate with ordinary Kiwis who look to the Prime Minister as an example of someone who can deliver a set of deliverables that will take root and come to pass, I have sold one of my nine or ...20 hours ago
- Short story: I’m a Māori, by Airana Ngarewa
“See that car, ow?” A lime-green Beetle puttered into the distance, barely making the speed limit. “Lady in the front winked at me. Almost crossed the centre line she was so lost in my eyes.”“Bro, that’s the lifeguard. She’s seventy.”Māui shrugged his shoulders. “My swag crosses generational lines. What can ...20 hours ago
- Podcast: Does the government have it wrong on gas?
The government is making a poor economic move with its plan to import natural gas according to Saul Griffith, renewable energy advocate and former climate advisor to Joe Biden. Saul Griffith is an author, inventor, scientist and co-founder of Rewiring America. A few years back he managed to convince ...21 hours ago
- New measurements reveal the enormous halos that shroud all galaxies in the universe
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanne Fisher, Associate Professor of Astronomy, Swinburne University of Technology The starry part of every galaxy is surrounded by a vast shroud of gas extending out for more than 100,000 light years. Cristy Roberts / ANU / ASTRO 3D Have you ever ...1 day ago - Opera Eucalyptus is a lush adaptation of Murray Bail’s novel – with a modern twist
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Moya Costello, Adjunct Lecturer, Southern Cross University Opera Australia My first curiosities about the new opera Eucalyptus, an adaptation of Murray Bail’s multi-award-winning 1998 novel, were regarding how Ellen and the many stories told to her by her ultimately successful suitor ...1 day ago
- The Week in Politics: More roads and maybe fewer tourists
Analysis - The government's $32.9 billion transport spend-up, a big hike in the tourist levy, and the prime minister's ferry-free visit to South Korea. ...1 day ago
- Our cities are losing the small, colourful songbirds that give us the most joy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andres Felipe Suarez-Castro, Research Fellow, Ecological Modelling, Griffith University Scarlet honeyeater (_Myzomela sanguinolenta_) Marty Oishi/Shutterstock The birds that fill our mornings with songs and our parks and gardens with colour are disappearing from our cities, our new study has found. We ...1 day ago
- New government funding for family violence is unprecedented, but it can’t afford to wait
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University A new A$4.7 billion national funding package announced today will deliver much needed resources to address family and sexual violence. For years, specialist support services, community legal services, therapeutic responses and men’s ...1 day ago
- Residency granted for Brazilian couple whose immigration adviser forgot to apply for visa
Brazilians Newton Santos and Nubia Chiarelli had been fighting to get their case reviewed since 2021. ...1 day ago
- Witness 1.8 billion years of tectonic plates dance across Earth’s surface in a new animation
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Collins, Professor of Geology, University of Adelaide Two tectonic plates meet in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland. VisualProduction/Shutterstock Using information from inside the rocks on Earth’s surface, we have reconstructed the plate tectonics of the planet over the last 1.8 billion years. ...1 day ago
- Far North District councillors vote unanimously to retain their Māori ward following impassioned me...
The council's strongly worded resolution also called on the CEO to explore the legal implications of not holding a binding poll as required. ...1 day ago
- The ozone hole above Antarctica will keep opening up each spring for decades to come – here’s wh...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Environmental Physics, University of Canterbury NASA via Getty Images At this time of year, as the sun rises over Antarctica, a “hole” opens up in Earth’s ozone layer. The ozone layer is a vital planetary boundary ...1 day ago
- What you need to know about the draft English and maths curriculums
This is what you need to know about the draft English and maths curriculums out for consultation. ...1 day ago
- Is Russia’s changing nuclear doctrine a significant concern – or just another empty threat?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University Russia’s announcement this week that it is revising its nuclear weapons doctrine has raised questions about what this means – and whether it marks a significant escalation in its war in ...1 day ago
- Bunyip birds and brolgas: how can we better protect species important to Indigenous people?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bradley J. Moggridge, Professor of Science, University of Technology Sydney Bradley Moggridge, Author provided Kamilaroi Country lies in far northwest New South Wales, past Tamworth and crossing over the Queensland border. Here, the bunyip bird (Australasian bittern, Botaurus poiciloptilus), and the ...1 day ago
- Who are the greatest Paralympians of all time?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Thousands of amazing athletes have competed in the Paralympics Games over the past 64 years. But who are the greatest of these Paralympians? And how would you decide? ...1 day ago
- ‘Put down the hammer and pick up the rammer’
One builder’s quest to find a culture of sustainability in construction. This is an excerpt from our environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. “Have you ever built a sandcastle?” asks Paul Geraets, founder of rammed earth building company Terra Firma. “Everybody has. Rammed earth is the same principle.” Rammed ...1 day ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys’ by Josiah Morgan
A new poem by Josiah Morgan. Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys titled after a play by Sam Brooks I Back then Kade had a death wish, driving over a hundred an hour after school, past young lads, parents, through the suburbs, cop cars, girl friends. I drove too, ...1 day ago
- Du Val founder faces his last rodeo
Opinion: It was February 9 of this year that Newsroom revealed work had stopped on a big Du Val apartment project in Auckland as contractors threatened legal action.We had visited the Verge site in Mt Wellington. Scaffolders who said they hadn’t been paid were removing their gear. The site was otherwise empty ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 6
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Head of Zeus, $25) Min Jin Lee’s novel was published in ...1 day ago
- The government says more people need to use AI. Here’s why that’s wrong
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erica Mealy, Lecturer in Computer Science, University of the Sunshine Coast The Australian government this week released voluntary artificial intelligence (AI) safety standards, alongside a proposals paper calling for greater regulation of the use of the fast-growing technology in high-risk situations. ...1 day ago
- Bill Shorten’s greatest legacy is the NDIS. It transformed the lives of people like me with disabi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By George Taleporos, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Bill Shorten is resigning from politics in February next year. Throughout his 17 years in parliament, no achievement stands out more than his role in the creation of ...1 day ago
- Birth, deaths and marriages: we all have them, which is why they should be protected
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet McCalman, Emeritus Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Why does Victoria’s Births, Deaths and Marriages registry matter? Civil registrations are the most important documents created about you by the state: they certify your existence in time and ...2 days ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Connie Henson, Cojoint Senior Lecturer, Indigenous Studies, UNSW Sydney MilanMarkovic78/Shutterstock Many people with atrial fibrillation don’t have any symptoms. But this heart condition – which involves an irregular and often rapid heartbeat – increases the risk of stroke and heart failure, ...2 days ago
- The seasons change, but hope always prevails on Nadia’s Farm
The Masterchef NZ winner takes us back to the land with a new season of Nadia’s Farm. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s a warm summer’s day in Central Otago, and Nadia Lim is trying to drive a tractor. The old, ...2 days ago
- Pacific profiles: Meet the teacher behind NZ’s longest-running Fijian language class
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Losalini Tuwere. All photos by Geoffery Matautia. Losalini Tuwere runs the longest-running (and most consistent) Fijian language class in Aotearoa. Every Tuesday ...2 days ago
- NZ will retain sovereignty despite joining US space mission – Minister
Defence Minister Judith Collins says it's important New Zealand is committed to working with security partners on space security. ...2 days ago
- For God and country: why the choice of next US president is a religious choice, too
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity Americans face a stark choice this November between two very different political visions. As I watched the ...2 days ago
- Australia has just been handed a map for getting to net zero. Here’s how it will guide us
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Malos, Climateworks Centre – Country Lead, Australia, Monash University AustralianCamera/Shutterstock Australia’s push for net-zero emissions received a welcome boost on Thursday, with the release of an official report showing how Australia can seek to cut domestic emissions across each sector ...2 days ago
- Limbs without limits: How New Zealand Paralympians get geared up for glory
Whether it’s for a Paralympic sprint or a simple stroll to the shops, a prosthetic limb is as individual as the person who wears it. Shanti Mathias visits the Auckland workshop where they’re created, customised and fitted. Eighteen thousand kilometres away from Paris, Kent Perkins is trying to balance the ...2 days ago
- Does intermittent fasting increase or decrease our risk of cancer?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amali Cooray, PhD Candidate in Genetic Engineering and Cancer, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) Stock-Asso/Shutterstock Research over the years has suggested intermittent fasting has the potential to improve our health and reduce the likelihood of developing cancer. ...2 days ago
Good to see that you survived it. Time to see where the oil and other liquids live… As you say this stuff is bad enough to clean up with such luxuries as hot water.
I managed to miss the quake itself this time, so survival wasn’t an issue for me – I’m one of the lucky ones. Also meant I had a chance to fill the car with fresh water before I hit town the next day, which came in very handy.
Thanks r0b. I hope the distress is easing.
G’day sprout. As above I didn’t have the trauma of the quake itself this time. Too busy in the aftermath to feel much distress, and I haven’t seen much of the city myself yet. I suspect it will hit hardest the first time I get back to the central regions and see the damage up close. Not looking forward to that…
All the best r0b. Trust things are on the improve.
Your comments are very unassuming and unpolitical yet at the same time deeply political. I must say that politics becomes so much more interesting when the personalities are avoided and people talk about the things that matter.
Cheers MS. Yes indeed, something like this is when the rubber of politics well and truly hits the road…
What’s in your Survival Kit?
http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/02/whats-in-your-survival-kit.html
So you might be thinking that it’s never going to happen to you and you wont ever need to leave your home for an extended period of time and survive on your own.
Thanks Rob, well written.
Just on a similar vein to the rebuild tax, EQC levy. Given that the EQC is very much ‘disaster insurance’ and should be used to cover all NZers, does it not make more sense for every Kiwi to pay this via their income?
The levy is no doubt going to have to increase, and given the relatively few people that bother insuring, if they can get away with it, why not spread EQC levies amongst the population?
That way, we can look at covering say 10K for contents, 100K for house. Keep contents deliberately low so people have to have private coverage too. No change to the value of house coverage, but again, people will require private coverage to top it up.
In situations such as this when Eqc is cleaned out, makes sense to build the kitty from all kiwis, for all kiwis.
A figure was mentioned on Nat Radio this morning for EQC levy to increase from about $70 to about $120-170 per house.
It is specific to the basic building insurances, eg fire insurance because that is where most of the destroyed value is. I find it rather hard to think that people don’t cover that. Apart from anything else, if you have a mortgage it is usually required along with some life cover.
Since all buildings should be covered (unless you’re crazy) and everyone has to live somewhere, it seems to me that keeping it on insurance premiums is adequete.
The EQC actually isn’t “disaster insurance”. It is insurance for specific types of disasters. For instance (taking just one odd disaster type) it doesn’t cover you for meteorite impacts.
To which the grimly predictable response of the odious Peter Creswell is the hysterically claim that the government is stealing money from your pocket. Perhaps now would be a good time to ask the ACT party and libertarians what their attitude to a EQC would if one did not exist and the government proposed to create it..
Although I think we all know what their view will be without having to ask.
Maybe if some good thing does come out of the Christchurch earthquakes it is going to be the exposure of the utter bankruptcy of spirit that lies at the heart of libertarianism and the whole damned neo-liberal project.
The neoliberal project is not a ‘project’ but a move globally to grap resources cheaply to counter falling profits. The govts that imposed neoliberal policies were responding to falling profits not pure greed.
The problem is capitalism not some aberration caused by elite greed. NZ has moved in this direction since 1984. The NACTs represent a new gentry of landowners, speculators and banksters – all parasites on the backs of the working class trying to monopolise land, water and cheap labour. Disaster capitalism is the new mode that the parasitic ruling class uses to con us all into letting them grap what is left of nature while we are supposed to feel good about it.
The quake needs to be seen in this context. Calling it a ‘national emergency’ and saying we are all in it together is cynically exploiting peoples humanity so that the poor pay for this disaster. Of course people want to help, it is instinctive to pull together in an emergency as a matter of self-preservation. But this becomes exploited as free labour in the re-capitalising of ChCh to favour the rich. Taxing everyone does the same thing – a regressive move to get us all to pay for this and the other coming disasters that are caused by capitalism’s drive to exploit nature.
The quake compounds this process, as the rich will benefit from the rebuilding of ChCh, “support rebuilding ChCh business campaign”, while the poor will suffer big losses in living standards, jobs, education, and be hounded by WINZ to get into low paid shitty jobs or be judged as welfare scroungers.
To pay for this disaster we have to kick out the NACTs, take back the tax cuts to the rich, imposed a capital gains tax on all the speculators, and borrow to compensate the victims of the quake fully, set in motion a public works building program to rebuild ChCh around the needs of its working class community, in particular its health and safety, and not the interests of the capitalist class. The ChCh working class needs to organise around its union base to build its own response to the quake and challenge the top-down ruling class management of this disaster. Maybe that way there will be a groundswell of a different sort that builds a social movement capable of ending NZs capitalist disaster story and putting working people in power.
Can you insure against an investment loss? NO. Get a grip on reality and economics my friend. Without organisations who are prepared to evaluate proposed risk, you would not have the funds for the rebuild. Private sector organisations have donated in excess of $5m so far. Its the intention of investment and application that counts. The families who have lost more than can be calculated may find some hope for the future through financial aid…
It was the vision of those who built CHCH to invest for the future…and they did that so well. I was in CHCH 1 week prior to this disaster and I have never been to a better city. The people of CHCH are an example of my neighbour is my friend. They worked together when building the city; investing time and effort for the good of everyone. The finacial institutions will now have to pay back..and rightly so, as is only fair in economic terms.
The only true loss is that which is personal and forever…..that is the only tax you face in life. Think on numpty.
They were saying on the radio this morning that NZ is actually very highly insured, and that also in other countries it is nigh-impossible to get earthquake insurance, whereas you can here. Those two factors go towards making this probably the largest insurance claim internationally this year.
Also the way that EQC cover works (which John Key worryingly got completely 100% wrong) is that the fund covers the first $1.5B for a disaster, then overseas re-insurers cover the next $2.5B, and the rest is left to private insurance or the government. There was $6.4B in the kitty prior to September, which will eat up $1.5B, and this quake will eat up $1.5B, so there is $3.4B left, enough to cover 2 more earthquakes with significant damage. This is why it was important that this new quake be considered a separate event for insurance purposes (which it is), because that allows the $4B to come from EQC and re-insurers; otherwise that would’ve been lumped onto private insurers and the government.
I hope the insurance industry continues to give earthquake cover to Canterbury. Your comment that its impossible to get earthquake cover in many countries is worrying.
Thats what’s really going to stuff things. If you can’t insure a property, you can’t get a mortgage. That’ll mean that while people will probably be able to stay in their existing houses (the banks could theoretically foreclose on them for not having insurance, but they won’t because of the bad debts), they won’t be able to move unless they can find a cash buyer (and don’t need a mortgage on a new property).
Which means the government is going to have to intervene somehow and sort this out.
Also, does anyone know what happens if one is a tenant on a fixed term and the basic services like water and sewerage have failed. Are you entitled to walk out early?
If the house is uninhabitable, they can give 48 hours notice and then cease to pay rent.
The problem arises when the landlord thinks a house is habitable but the tenants don’t. In those cases you need to go through the normal tenancy disputes process.
The ideal outcome is that both parties agree, or if the house is marginal the tenants may be willing to pay reduced rent.
Rich – some info from google. All the best for solving your problem.
http://www.saunders.co.nz/when-a-disaster-strikes-know-your-rights/
Also Citizens Advice Bureau CAB 0800367222 or 0800 FOR CAB
http://www.cab.org.nz/vat/hle/rt/Pages/Rightsobligationsoftenantslandlords.aspx
or by landline – CAB Bishopdale contact 03-359 8090
Hereford St 03-366 6490 – Hornby 03-349 5236 – Rangiora 03-313 8822
Or – contact Tenancy Services on. 0800 83 62 62
Yes, but that’s for houses that have been damaged. Houses that haven’t been damaged but don’t have water, power, sewerage currently because of problems outside the property are still apparently deemed habitable.
If you have sewerage coming up on the property, that would probably count as a health hazard.
Yes, I think they were meaning houses that were habitable to the property boundary.
But if there is sewerage in the property, or there is silt in the road so you can’t drive onto the property etc, those things are fixable. I’m not sure you could get out of a fixed term lease on the basis of one of those. I don’t know what would be considered a reasonable amount of time to fix things though.
I should add that I fortunately don’t have this issue, but was wondering what would happen if large numbers of people up and leave.
A friend’s son, whose house is fine apart from no services, has been told by Tenancy that they can’t get out of their fixed term lease just because there are no utilities (the son is moving out). Apparently the utilities aren’t the responsibility of the landlord. I’ve also heard this from another friend who works in the housing sector. She said it probably wouldn’t be a problem because the landlord will easily find other tenants and has a duty to do so.
Easily find other tenants, without utilities? Don’t think so. The only real candidates to go into that sort of rental would be those who were renting a house that is now completely uninhabitable. Anyone else who owned property that is now uninhabitable (that they still have to pay a mortgage on) is unlikely to want to move into a house that has no utilities and pay rent on it.
True, but there is going to be a shortage of rental houses. There were people still living in substandard houses after Sept, it’s going to be worse this time. Unless there are alot of people leaving town, some people are going to have to live in houses without utilities for a period of time. This is doable in the short term (people are already doing it).
My friend’s son is at polytech and Otago have said they will take some of those students so they can keep on with their courses. So he’s gone to Dunedin. His otherwise intact is house is habitable, and legally the landlord has to find other tenants if they can. The son may have to pay rent for a few weeks to cover the interim. Once the power etc is back on, it will be easy to find tenants. That was my point, there is a way out of the fixed term leases.
I think sewerage will be the biggest issue, it may take a long time to sort that, and some people won’t want to make do with interim solutions.
Rich – article today on your problem.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/4711768/Tenants-still-have-to-pay-service
My son’s flat is part of a set of flats not far from Victoria Square and inside the restricted area. They have all been red stickered. He has contents insurance but is not allowed in to get his passport or his precious laptop. His advice from Tenancy Services is that his rent can stop and it has. My worry for him is where can he find permanent accommodation.
Does red stickered mean that something is likely to fall on you or a hole open up on the property, or is it that you just can’t live in it because it is too munted – holes in roof, doors on angle, windows out etc. Could some people be able to go to collect stuff from their places if under controlled access in and out? Some responsible people could be in charge and work through areas. People’s precious items will be hard to replace, I wonder if there is a blanket ban applied that is too rigid.
I should also add that the guy (chairman of Canterbury earthquake recovery commission – expecting his powers to be significantly broadened shortly) said that as far as he is aware, EQC is unique internationally. He said a few other countries have schemes that go part of the way, but no one else has anything the same.
Thanks for explanation Lanthanide.
spambash – misunderstanding – John Key’s apparently. Does he only know how to play with money for gain, not how it is used when doing its real work.
Glad to hear you’re OK rob, unlike you I was in CCH for a conference on the day the earthquake struck.
Although I’ve been in little tremors before I’ve never experienced anything like that before and hope not to ever again.
I also can’t speak highly enough of the rescue and support services that sprang into action as well as the rapid offers of help and assistance that have come in from overseas, you certainly know who your friends are both locally and internationally when disasters like this happen.
Cheers HS – glad you made it through. I think I know the very conference. Lucky in some ways that so many extra doctors were in town!
Cheers Rob.
Straight after the shock, News clips showed that the people moving along streets were distressed but not wildly panicking or screaming or scrabbling at each other to escape. Instead there were apparent strangers helping each other. People are pretty good when the chips are down. (Disaster movie makers take note!)
I’m sure if there were more continuing shocks coming at close intervals, there would’ve been a lot more panic.
Car-free CBD is not going to work if you except to have any sort of commercial aspect there – people need cars to transport their shopping home.
Light rail is also unlikely due to population density, but we could have a line going from Lyttleton to the CBD and through to the airport, for tourism purposes.
We will be able to have a first-class bus terminal and potentially dedicated bus-lanes through much of the city. They were wanting to expand the bus terminal but had no room or other potential locations in the CBD, and so were considering 3 smaller hubs in the suburbs instead. Now they’ll be able to build what they wanted to, somewhere in the CBD.
Hmmmmm gotta disagree with you there. Many cities have moved their thinking on from that. Hong Kong and Singapore are shopping havens, but everyone uses public transport to take their shopping home. Further, office workers only have briefcases and laptops to transport. Many CBDs do not have large retail malls (which are more in the suburbs), focussing more on commercial office space.
Sydney is also seriously reconsidering cutting out almost all traffic out of parts of its CBD.
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/50284/sydney-cbd-could-cut-out-traffic-completely-in-premiers-secret-plan
Hong Kong and Singapore also have significantly denser population, so can support really good public transport. I seriously doubt that CHCH has the density, especially as there is already an extensive road network in place in the suburbs and we generally have only mild road congestion (when was the last time Christchurch was mentioned on the national radio ‘traffic update’ in the mornings?).
Sydney cutting a couple of streets to car access doesn’t really rebut my point at all – you can still take your car into the CBD and park it somewhere and walk, much as we already do in CHCH (with car-parking buildings).
Perhaps a mixed solution then.
We should plan for $4/L petrol happening within the next 3 years.
Yes, definitely agree. Electric busses as per Wellington would be a possibility, but having a CBD and public transport based around regular busses is a good option. We already had busses that ran on LPG in the centre of the city (the free yellow Shuttle service) and standard bus diesel engines can be made to run on all sorts of fuels, including biofuels.
Our bus system was already pretty world-class, with the panels at most bus stops indicating the interval till the next arrival, and online trip planner that would show you the best routes to take and compare the travel time with other transport such as walking, biking or driving and the RFID metro card introduced in CHCH years before similar services in Auckland or Wellington.
I wasn’t in Christchurch this time but feel personally involved, not just because I have family there. Listening to Radio NZ’s helpful coverage – reporting, questioning, informing of facilities, phone numbers, I can only praise them to the highest. I have family in Chch and got their Tuesday evening text message at 4.35 am Wednesday so the phone system was a great help. Nokia I think were offering car battery chargers for cellphones. A must addition to the emergency kit.
Doing helping things, money donated, sleeping bags donated, and learning things for likely future disasters. I must remember to ensure radio has spare batteries galore – so many Chch people didn’t know the situation, water availability or portaloos. Son wants my spare landline phone. Had bought battery powered radio after last quake. Lesson from Rob’s experience – store oil on bottom shelf.
People are summoning up incredible reserves of energy and determination to manage now and plan for a different future. The privations are ongoing for many, and lost for many are the memories of the past, the family photos of the dead, the CDs or hard drives wrecked or unreachable. These are the losses that will live on when housing and services are available once more.
Here’s another tip that everyone here should take heed of – you might already have emergency supplies, gas cookers, water etc, but you might have them stored in your garage.
This is of very little use if the only access to your garage requires electricity to be working, or alternative access doors to get inside is blocked by fallen objects and you can’t get in.
Make sure you keep your emergency supplies inside your house.
captcha: universal
Or spread them out, depending on the construction of your house. Keep main supplies in the house (or best available building, it might still be the garage depending on your setup – my parents garage would be easier to access than the house if the buildings partially collapsed), and keep the pack that you would have to leave with somewhere else. Hard core survivalists suggest burying it somewhere away from the buildings, but I think that’s OTT for most people. I’m going to put some basics in my car because it’s least like to get anything falling on it.
Very few houses actually collapsed to the point of being unsafe to be inside. Lots of them are red-strickered with broken foundations or holes in the roof, such that you wouldn’t want to live in them, but general access has been maintained for the vast majority of them.
Compared to the number of houses that didn’t have electricity immediately after the quakes, for example.
Sure, spreading your stuff around is definitely the optimal choice, but mainly the idea is not to put all your eggs in one basket, especially if the basket is highly likely to be inaccessible.
The best advice I can have is to never let your car have less than half a tank of gas. I normally run on empty but had fortunately had filled up the week before so could get out of town. If petrol stations are closed then you’re stuck in dodge.
Back now in Chch. It’s insane. The aftershocks are decreasing in size and frequency but they remind you of those horrible moments on Tuesday. Which is something I wish I could forget. But whenever I close my eyes I see my desk jumping up toward my head, and the blood pouring out of the head of one of guys sitting outside work (non-fatal).
Stupid earthquake.
Aye. Also – cash. The little plastic cards are all very well, but cash is still handy if the power is out.
I was in the CBD on Tuesday. Somehow managed to walk/run down Manchester St to get to my wife at the other end, then hitch home for the kids. I do wish more people had left their cars and walked – it would have been easier for everyone than hundreds of 1-person cars blocking up all the streets.
I totally agree for the forward-thinking of some people. We need decent developments that work for the climate and new landscape – not more shoeboxes that are under-insulated and sub-standard…
Manchester St must have been one of the most dangerous places in the city. Glad you both made it OK.
On the cars – oh yes. An elderly relative being rushed to the Central Hospital an hour after the event got gridlocked about 2km away. Thank goodness for a passing nurse (on foot).
Stay out of the cars if you can. Leave the roads for emergencies and emergency services.
A fine and perceptive article Rob. In reading it my heart was lifted…. for we are in essence a cooperative species. Events like this have a way of demolishing not only buildings, but our delusions as well, leaving visible the reality underlying our existence…. that our relationships and depth of social connectedness is all that really matters.
Neo-liberal greed can go fuck itself.
The co-operation was a joy to behold, certainly showed a more positive side to people than the base greed that is the basis of market ideology. We are all (wel the vast majority of us) generous and caring toward our fellow people, strangers or known. Touche, neo lib greed trumped, and fucked over.
Practical things….
Drinking water
Washing water
Disinfectant
Wet wipes
Hand cleaning gel
Heavy gloves
Battery radio and torch
Documents and a bag of essentials ready to go if you are evacuated.
Neo-liberal greed can go fuck itself.
+1
Bicycles….saw cyclists being very mobile where cars were not.
To be honest its good to have the distraction of blogs to take my mind off things
Well then we’re glad that you can be here to keep telling us the error of our ways. All the best for the hard yards ahead.