Kennedy on Christchurch relief efforts

Canterbury Earthquake Response & Recovery Bill - 3rd Reading - Kennedy Graham

This has been one tough day, and we are faced with tough circumstances that still obtain in Christchurch and Canterbury. This is the third reading of the bill, and therefore the final opportunity to comment before it is enacted into law, so let me begin by reiterating our appreciation to the Government and to Minister Brownlee, Minister John Carter, Minister Smith, and others for their good intent and their cooperative spirit down in Christchurch during and after the earthquake, and for that matter, here in the House.

Parliament Passes 'Extreme' Earthquake Measures- Marie McNicholas

Parliament has unanimously passed legislation that gives the Government
rare, sweeping powers to over-ride a raft of laws it fears could impede
the speedy reconstruction of earthquake-hit Canterbury.

But at the urging of the Green Party, the Government agreed to make a
late change to the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill to
ensure the Recovery Commission set up under the legislation is not
exempt from  official information scrutiny.

Canterbury Earthquake Response & Recovery Bill - 1st Reading - Kennedy Graham MP

I begin by paying tribute to the Government and particularly to Ministers Gerry Brownlee and John Carter for their work and their cooperation over the past week. That is much appreciated, I think, by all of us.

I believe that all of us in this House today would prefer not to have to address this bill, the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill. It is the product of the ravages of nature and the cause of far-reaching human distress, yet the bill is a symbol of human resilience. It shows a determination to respond to a natural disaster with purpose and resolve and to show that our communities can rally together in the face of disaster even stronger than we were before.

A Week in Town can be a Long Time

One week after the 7.1, and we are all facing challenges here in Christchurch. To a strange extent these are shared and yet individually unique.

Above all there are those who have lost homes. I know a few personally. They shrug it off, avoiding self-pity. They help others, even as they struggle to sort their own lives. My Labour colleague, Brendon Burns, is one.

Urgent Debate - Resignation of Justice Wilson - Part 6

Ken Graham on TV 7 on the Christchurch Earthquake

Christchurch Earthquake TV 7 BackBenchs

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Greens Try To Water Down 'Extreme' Earthquake Law Marie McNicholas at 5:38 pm, 14 Sep 2010

The Green Party wants to water down emergency legislation setting up a special regime for speeding the earthquake recovery in Canterbury but the rest of Parliament intends to pass it into law tonight.

The Government introduced the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill with the backing of all parties in Parliament today but the Green Party limited its support for what it calls "shock and awe" legislation to the first reading.