Image by nzgabriel via Flickr

In NZ, the transition is underway from response to recovery, after the Canterbury Earthquake. [Note: I have been calling it the Christchurch earthquake, but apparently the epicenter was closer to Canterbury.]  What is of special interest is local and national efforts to “fastrack” the recovery process. Hopefully, there will be some lessons for the U.S. to learn in that regard. PM: Quake NZ’s most costly natural disaster, NZHerald, Sept. 13.

The Canterbury earthquake will be the most costly natural disaster New Zealand has ever faced, Prime Minister John Key said today….The Treasury has put the overall cost at about $4 billion but the Government says that is a very early estimate and clearly expects it to rise. “We are moving from the response phase to the recovery and rebuilding phase and we don’t want work being slowed or stopped by needless red tape and filling out paperwork,” Mr Key said at his post-cabinet press conference.

“Legislation like the Building Act, the Local Government Act and the Resource Management Act aren’t designed for the special circumstances Canterbury faces.” To deal with that Parliament will tomorrow pass a bill under urgency allowing ministers to make special orders to fast track the recovery.

A second article in that same source indicates many details remain to be worked out. See Govt earthquake bill unclear – Brownlee