Two minutes' silence - text of comments by Wellington Deputy Mayor Ian McKinnon in Civic Square toda


In Civic Square just before 12.51pm:

Thank you, Wellington, for coming together in Civic Square to enable us to stand quietly as a city and to reflect on the tragedy which has befallen Christchurch – its people particularly, and especially those who have lost family members and close friends and whose homes have suffered considerable damage, but the city too, its beautiful setting and stately buildings, so much now no more.

It is not difficult for us in Wellington to appreciate how those in Christchurch must be feeling ... all we need do though is imagine our city, Wellington, with its natural setting uprooted, its CBD virtually destroyed and our loss of family and friends and homes – you are here because you do recognise their suffering, their confusion and their sorrow ... that we should, and we want to, stand alongside those in Christchurch.

Wellington and Wellingtonians are offering support in a number of ways … let us now do so further, by standing quietly as one, thinking of those in Christchurch where so many and so much are lost.

Following the two minutes' silence:

Thank you … but in the long months ahead let us not forget the people of Christchurch nor Christchurch itself, for that need of love will continue, of standing alongside those in Christchurch.

Thank you for being here in Civic Square, standing quietly as one.

Ian McKinnon
Deputy Mayor of Wellington

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