Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission – Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha

Those who lost relatives and friends in the 22 February earthquake can be assured that there will be a very thorough inquiry into the failure of buildings that resulted in loss of life.
Chair, Justice Mark Cooper
 

Media Advisory

 

1 December 2011

 Quakes Royal Commission Adjourns PGC Building Hearing   

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has adjourned the PGC building hearing because Commissioner Richard Fenwick is unwell.

The hearing will recommence on Monday 5 December and is expected to be completed on Tuesday 6 December. The revised programme is published on the Commission’s website.

As a result of the programme change, the Hotel Grand Chancellor hearing will now be held on 17 and 18 January 2012. It was due to start directly after the PGC building hearing.

The hearing date for the hearing on new building technologies has now also been set down to begin on 7 February 2012.

Another technical report has been published on the Commission’s website. ‘Management of Earthquake Risk by Canterbury Regional Council and Christchurch City Council - Obligations and Responses under RMA’ was prepared by EnFocus Ltd at the request of the Commission. The purpose of the report is to investigate the manner in which issues of earthquake risk have been dealt with in the relevant planning documents of the Canterbury Regional Council and the Christchurch City Council. This includes an analysis of the councils’ obligations under the Resource Management Act 1991 and the various steps that the councils have taken in carrying out those obligations.

The Commission will not conduct a public hearing on the issues covered in the report but is seeking submissions by 1 February 2012. Information received as a result of this process will be considered as the Commission forms conclusions and recommendations for its final report

END

About the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission in Christchurch was established in response to the building failure and loss of life caused by the Canterbury earthquake in February 2011.

The purpose of the Commission is to examine issues around the built environment in the Christchurch central business district and to inquire into the adequacy of relevant building codes and standards into the future.

The Commission is required to provide the Governor-General with a final report by no later than 11 April 2012.

For Further Information:

Robin Major
Senior Communications Advisor
Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission
Ph + 64 (0)3 741 3004 or + 64 (0)21 621 656
Email: robin.major@royalcommission.govt.nz