Following the success of the protest rally to mark the fifth anniversary of the 22 February 2011 earthquake, we have encouraged claimants to use the Empowered Christchurch website to push and lobby for the demands made at the rally. Numbers and input on the site are steadily rising.
We have received no response from the politicians invited, apart from an invitation to meet with the Mayor of Christchurch.
We therefore wish to reiterate and expand on our demands:

The Government
• Arrange for an immediate and independent investigation to be launched into the practices of EQC and insurers over the last five years. In the words of Minister Brownlee “Anyone who can get the votes in Parliament can do anything in this country”. Take responsibility for the calamity you have engineered through EQC and Southern Response.
• Set up an independent tribunal to fast-track claims settlement with independent assessors to determine the value of claims. Set a strict time limit for settlement.
• Arrange fortnightly meetings between EQC/Council/ICNZ and Empowered Christchurch representatives to report on the progress of claims settlement
EQC
• We want land issues and land compensation addressed immediately.
The earthquake on 14 February has resulted in further changes in land elevation. Professional land assessment and compensation should always have been the priority before any rebuild or repair.

Christchurch City Council
• Houses have been rebuilt and repaired on land that is doomed to flood. Council is allowing exemptions permitting insurers to rebuild houses with groundwater 40 to 50 cm below the surface (see attachment) that ebbs and flows with the tide. Homeowners have been instructed by Council to “pump the water back out and send us the bill”! Stop these shocking practices immediately!

Insurance companies
• Stop performing quick fixes that do not meet policy requirements.
ICNZ has called for sustainable rebuilding to ensure future insurability, yet its members do exactly the opposite. Cheapskate repair and rebuild strategies on the part of insurance companies violate both the principle of utmost good faith and the policy entitlement of “as (when) new”. Mr Tim Grafton (ICNZ) has stated that no one has lost insurance in Christchurch. This is not true. People have lost their insurance cover and the number will continue to rise as more homes are built that are certain to flood.

Limitation period
• On the question of the six-year limitation period, we assume 4 September 2016 to be the expiry date. Assurances from the EQC or insurance companies do not alter the legal provision. We are therefore examining the option of a mass filing of claims on an individual basis before this date.

ENDS

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