Posts by Matthew Reid
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That’s a very interesting idea that I hadn’t come across.
I don't know what they're going to do with the tens of thousands of Post-it note ideas from the Share An Idea expo, messages on their website, tweets etc. But some of the speakers did their best to inspire in what are inspirationally challenged times round the traps. My Post-it contribution was to think of the kids when putting streets back together.
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we have to plan for sea level rises, but abandoning land beside the Avon while building in Brighton doesn’t sound like the way to go about it
A fair point, although I think the issue Quigley was talking about was the increasing threat, because of sea-level rise, of inundation along the river due to flooding - e.g. when there's lots of precipitation and a high tide, which wouldn't be such a problem in Brighton. However,
most of greater Chch is below mean sea level
this is not the case. Chch is fairly low and flat, but the square is/was about 6 metres above mean sea level and the airport 37 metres above (meaning the airport used to be above the Cathedral's spire IIRC).
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Mark Quigley at the Share An Idea expo in the weekend discussed the park along the river idea a little. He's a lecturer in geosciences at UC and has become a bit famous for giving lucid analysis of the earthquakes. He lives in a badly affected area, with only a few houses on his street still inhabited. (Disclaimer: I live in Sydenham, so probably won't be affected if the rumours David talks about become a reality, although we got our fair share of liquefaction.)
From what I understood there seems to be the added factor of climate change/sea level rise to contend with - as you say David there are areas that are now below the level of the river and levees will only be useful up to a point.
He was suggesting (I don't think he has any official role in relation to CERA) that we may have to plan for some alternatives for the worst affected areas along the river. He was also clear that we have to avoid "a half eaten doughnut" of a city, with people living in the east ending up living in a sprawling west of the city and a dead centre.
One alternative might be to move well-performing houses in the east to under-used land still in the east but closer to the centre of town - replacing ugly light industrial areas with potentially vibrant residential areas, ensuring along the way that you plan gardens, pubs and dairies etc.
The resulting area along the river could be a very attractive asset like a long skinny Hagley Park, that would enhance land values in the surrounding area.
It doesn't seem to be viable (as per Rod Carr's opinion piece in The Press in the weekend) to move the UC to the centre of town. But Quigley suggested a tram/light rail link from UC to the sea at New Brighton that would mean young people would be attracted to live in the centre city for the inner city lifestyle, but would have easy access to the University (and the sea for surfing between classes). This would also enhance the beach as a destination and place to live.
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Apologies that this comment is not about arts and letters, but I'm interested in what happens to money donated and raised by talented people from Auckland to Sydney to London. Further to my comment yesterday, this is what you find at the Earthquake Appeal website:
On February 22 a 6.3 magnitude earthquake rocked Christchurch, causing widespread damage and tragic loss of life. Since then, many people have been involved in the effort to return the city to normal.
But what stands before us now is an enormous task. The hard work is really now just beginning, and we need your help more than ever.
The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal is our opportunity to come together to support those who need our help.
With your help we can look forward to a brighter future for Christchurch – one in which the community is stronger, and has faith in the compassion and support from friends in New Zealand and around the world.
It will take a great deal of time to rebuild Christchurch. If you would like to help, donate here, and show the people of Christchurch that Tomorrow Starts Here.
You can make an immediate donation to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal from your credit card by providing your details, the amount you wish to donate, and clicking Donate Now.
Thank you
Prime Minister John KeyIt's administered by the Department of Internal Affairs, but there isn't really much of clue as to what happens to donated money.
The Facebook page is no more informative. The Beehive press release has little more:
“Like all Cantabrians and fellow New Zealanders, I have been humbled by the offers of help and assistance pouring in from individuals, organisations and governments around the world. This new Appeal gives people another means of donating to the people of Christchurch and the recovery effort.
Mr Key said the Appeal was designed to complement those already established, such as the funds organised by the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
“It’s my intention that the Government will work alongside these organisations to make sure the funds are used in the best possible way.
Mr Key said New Zealand government departments at home and around the world would be throwing their weight behind the Appeal.
So the government will work alongside NGOs to ensure donations are used in the best possible way. Does that mean the money will be used for wage support for employees of quake affected businesses, emergency grants for quake affected Canterbury residents or what? I think donors and folk singing to raise money will be thinking the resulting funds should be going more or less directly to struggling people. They might be less supportive if it is to be used by the government to pay for benefits normally covered by the MSD/WINZ, but I could be wrong. Or if donations are going into the general government coffers, in the same way as income tax/GST etc.
I can't find information about the amount of money donated, but the Red Cross has recieved over $40 million, so it may be substantial. What kind of governance is in place (if there needs to be more than that provided by officials in the DIA) to ensure the proper use of funds?
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It's great to feel the solidarity, and how people far from Christchurch get together to help. The only shameis that these events are not in Christchurch. However, The Wiggles are giving free tickets to their concert in April, so that's something...
Has anybody looked closely into what happens to the money that goes into the Government's Earthquake Appeal?
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There is one offence with a maximum of only two years, that will still need to be heard by a jury (and a High Court jury at that) – infanticide.
That seems logical, as a form of homicide, that infanticide should be treated seriously, have a jury trial in the High Court. Graeme, although it isn't entirely on topic, could you expand on why the maximum penalty for infanticide is two years?
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Just reliably back online after the quake. I'm working from the public library in Lincoln (thanks for the free wifi!), trying to find resources for public health in the context of a community managing without power, water, sewerage for a long time (any suggestions greatly appreciated!). I hope you don't, collectively mind if this is a bit out of date by now.
I was on the 4th floor of a building in Oxford Tce, about to get in the lift to go down to the basement, get on my bike and ride across town to teach medical students when the shaking happened. It was wild. But thank goodness I wasn't in the lift (I might still be there), or in the basement (filled with water in minutes) or riding through town (falling bits off buildings). When it finally stopped I went to check on my colleagues and saw the last of the collapse of the PGC building across the river.
All ran down the crumbling walled stairs and out into the ghostly white dust. I've still got the screams and swearing of everyone in my head - must be the most F*CKs I've heard in any few seconds (though this is probably not as bad as my primary school teacher sister-in-law who has the sound of many small school children screaming stuck in her head). Cars started rolling by, some with rubble on the roof, and a mass exodus of people walking.
After contemplating heading to the PGC building, not being able to contact my wife or kids I headed for home down Madras St, through Latimer Square (stopped to help a couple of people with minor injuries) and past the collapsed CTV building. Unbelievable. I was torn between wanting to lift rubble and search for people and finding my family. The fact that there was a smouldering fire and police arriving decided it for me, and I guess I wouldn't have much help anyway, but I'll always wonder if I should've tried.
I kept walking towards home in Sydenham, and eventually got my wife on the phone and heard she'd got our 95 year old nighbour out of her house and to another neighbour, and was going to get our kids. I hadn't realised how scared I was for her, and cried when I heard her voice. She managed to get our kids despite multiple impassable bridges, we met back at our house, where silt was rapdily rising out the ground and filling the street. We grabbed a few things out of the mess in our house, threw them in the car with the yelling kids. Most of the kitchen was on the floor, all the books out of the shelves, but luckily/hopefully no major structural damage. We got out of town, and we're staying with family in Lincoln who at least have power, water and sewerage, and no damage. We've had three nights ont he florr, but it feels like luxury compared to those sleeping in tents and stadia around the city. It feels good to be doing some work, that might make a difference to people in the city. After shocks aside, the kids are good, and it doesn't take much whiskey to help with getting to sleep...
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Hard News: Welfare: Back to the Future?, in reply to giovanni tiso,
I see the report recommends encouraging more 'natural supports' for this group - that means any family and friends they have.
Much the same recommendation as the 2025 taskforce report, that advocated ‘greater self-reliance and greater use of family, community and market mechanisms for support’. Or, in standard English: "fuck off already and leave us alone".
AKA Big Society in the UK, isn't it? Which is ironic, as it seems to be the contribution of society to the individual/families getting smaller.
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Yeah, that sounds plausible. My father and his two brothers moved here in the late Sixties as part of the construction boom and settled in Island Bay for about a decade before dispersing around the country.
But did Italians bring espresso to NZ, were they owners/operators of early espresso serving coffee shops/cafes around the country?
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I’ve always been both impressed and disgusted by italian and french coffee. IT’s very hit and miss, zero crema, but I love how they do it – it’s quick (VERY quick), cheap (90 euro cents usually) and chearful. Great way to start a day (much better than $3.50 for an espresso. Come on NZ, this is just getting stupid)
At least in Italy, along with salt, the price of coffee is regulated, at least if you stand at the bar.