John Key’s Journal

10 September 2010

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Good evening,

The earthquake has wreaked havoc on Canterbury. It's damaged homes. It's ripped up streets. It's destroyed treasured possessions. And it's traumatised thousands of people. We're so lucky that no one lost their life.

I visited shortly after the earthquake and again this week. The scale of the destruction in the city I grew up in is hard to grasp until you see the amount of damage and talk to people about what they have been through.

But what strikes me - more than anything else - is how well people are coping. Some families have lost almost everything. They are scared and worried. And they don't know how long the aftershocks will continue. But they are picking themselves up, helping out their neighbours and their friends, and soldiering on in some really tough circumstances.

A mother I met at the Linwood welfare centre was devastated that her family's home is no longer fit to live in, but told me that as long as her family was together, she knew they could get through anything.

In Kaiapoi I talked to a man who couldn't get inside his family's business to see how badly it was damaged, but who was determined to rebuild it, no matter what.

It's that kind of story, and that kind of spirit, that shines through again and again wherever you go and whoever you talk to.

Everybody involved in responding to this natural disaster has done a great job. I'd like to thank everyone who is helping Canterbury get through this.

The Government is committed to rebuilding Canterbury. It will take some time until the region is back on its feet, but we are working hard and we will get the job done.

Besides our immediate response, some of the other steps we've taken include:

o Small business and employee support: Giving emergency assistance to help small and medium sized businesses continue to pay wages to staff.
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o Encouraging rebuilding: Streamlining insurance processes to make sure that damaged property can be repaired as quickly as possible.
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o Helpline and website: Launching a website for people who need help or who want the latest updates from Civil Defence and other government agencies. You can also call 0800 779997.
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o Roading fund: Making $94 million available immediately to repair roads.
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o Trauma counselling: Providing $2.5 million for trauma counselling.
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o Community grants: Providing special grants for Canterbury social service providers.
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o Mayoral Fund: Donating an initial $5 million to the mayoral fund.
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Click here for the latest news on the Government's response to the earthquake.

I urge those affected by the earthquake to reach out and ask for help from family, friends, or counselling services in the weeks ahead. Many people in Canterbury have told me that they are feeling anxious or stressed as the aftershocks continue. The Government stands alongside you as you recover from this frightening experience.

I'm travelling to the region again tomorrow and hope to see some of you while I'm there.

Best wishes,

John Key
Prime Minister

ENDS

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