No end date to fix botched quake repairs

The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is likely to miss its June deadline for settling re-repair claims.

Last year Ian Simpson, EQC chief executive at the time, told the Finance and Expenditure Committee all remedial inquiries received before June 30, 2016, would be settled by June 30 this year.

Yesterday, Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Gerry Brownlee would not give an end date for earthquake re-repairs.

Labour’s Canterbury spokeswoman, Megan Woods, asked Brownlee in Parliament whether EQC would settle its claims by June 30.

Brownlee said repairs would be resolved ‘‘in a timely fashion’’, but it would be inappropriate to provide an end date because more remedial repairs could come up under the 10-year liability period on repairs.

Woods asked Brownlee if Simpson was wrong to commit to a deadline.

‘‘No, I am sure that was the intention,’’ said Brownlee.

‘‘I look at what might have happened had we not had this programme in place, and conclude that if it had been the laissez-faire approach that some wanted – including the Opposition – then we would have had complete chaos out there, runaway inflation, and a whole lot of people getting seriously ripped off by the cowboy brigade. What we are seeing here is people being able to recognise that something is not right with a repair, and then having a place to go, with the understanding that they will get dealt with fairly. That is happening. It is a good thing.’’

Simpson last year said that new inquiries received in 2017 would be resolved within three months.

Woods said EQC was now receiving inquiries faster than it could settle them. There were 4483 EQC remedial requests as of February 7, and 4846 as of March 13.