A petition of 3,000 signatures protesting substandard work by the Earthquake Commission has been referred to a parliamentary committee, prompting protestors to believe an enquiry into the repairs could be one step closer to happening.
Christchurch lawyer Duncan Webb, who is also running for Labour in Christchurch Central at the next election, said he had also been asked to make a submission,
Fairfax Media reported.
“I wrote to them and explained what the problems were and the size of the problem, so they are currently considering that,” Webb said.
Since sending his written submission last week, Webb had been asked to submit to the committee in person, something he said was ‘really heartening’.
“From that some real action could come, which hopefully won’t be downsizing
EQC.”
EQC announced it would be changing its structure last week, cutting nearly 500 jobs and reducing operating costs from $190 million to $95 million.
However, EQC Minister Gerry Brownlee said he would not support an enquiry.
He pointed out that Webb was a political candidate who “hadn’t had anything positive to say about anything that’s happened in Christchurch over the last five years.”
Brownlee said: “If you look at the call back rate on brand new houses, it is over 85%... The EQR call back through the Fletcher repair program is less than 5%.
“So I don’t think that is the basis for an enquiry at all,” Brownlee said in the
Fairfax Media report.
He added that while the Government could have lawfully paid a cheque to people and left them to it, it had felt that would leave people fighting in a queue to get a builder and probably at very high rates.
They also would have had nowhere to go if they weren’t satisfied with the work, he said.
Related stories:
EQC to slash hundreds of jobs
Wanted: earthquake mediation participants
Insurer welcomes court’s clarification on EQC liabilties
