The Christchurch Earthquake Memorial Service held in Hagley Park on March 18 was another step in showing the people of Christchurch that the rest of the country is with them and that they have not been forgotten.
In light of the Memorial Service, arguments over whether or not it was too early are now academic. However, the fact that Prince William and (NZ Soprano) Hayley Westenra flew in especially for the Service, along with the country’s leaders has had a positive effect in the hearts and souls of those who have lost loved ones and suffered as a result of the quake.
Encouraging signs
The hard yards have already started and now that the Memorial Service is over, we must focus on getting Christchurch and her people on their feet again.
It is amazing to see what rises phoenix like from the ashes of a crisis.
Decision-making at the Government level can be complex and time-consuming; regulations, legislation and convoluted consultation make it hard to do even the simplest of jobs.
However, I am encouraged by some of what I have seen coming out of the Christchurch crisis. Government has focused on the recovery effort and some initiatives give me hope that we may be able to move forward and reclaim our position as one of the best countries in the world.
Three examples are responsible for this glimmer of hope.
The first is an example of how consents for projects should happen.
Just days after Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee issued consent in five minutes, for one of power company Orion’s new networks in the quake-affected suburb of Bromley. The Minister proudly announced his speedy decision but no one asked, “Why does it normally take weeks or months, along with a hefty fee, to gain consent for exactly the same type of project?”
It should not take a crisis to cut red tape to gain efficiencies.
One-stop Shops
The second example occurred when Prime Minister John Key visited welfare centres in affected areas two weeks after the Earthquake struck. The welfare centres offered a range of social services under the one roof making it easier for people to access those they needed.
The concept seemed to be quite a revelation to Mr Key, who declared, “They (people) can come to one location and have all of their needs addressed,” and “This is the future of welfare centres in New Zealand, where we combine lots of activities in one shop.”
I have been advocating a one-stop-shop for social services since I arrived in Parliament in 2002. A one-stop shop gets away from silo-thinking and silo-funding and provides complete wrap-around service for those in need.
The real step that needs to be taken is for Government departments to work together rather than jealously guarding their respective budgets.
Ministers must take the lead if this is ever to happen effectively; a good start would be to combine health and welfare as one portfolio.
It is often the case that the same people require the help of both agencies.
Oldest City
While New Zealand mourns with Christchurch it is fitting to reflect that the City has a long and proud history; a history that I am sure will develop and flourish in the years to come.
The settlers arriving in the 1860s called it ‘Christ Church.’
They dubbed it ‘The Canterbury Pilgrims,’ suggested by John Robert Godley, who had attended Christ Church, Oxford.
While initially recorded as ‘Christ Church,’ it became a single word in the Canterbury Association’s minutes. Christchurch became a City by Royal Charter on July 31, 1856, making it New Zealand’s oldest established city.
