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The Weekend Sun
Highlights and remembrance of community work bury Earthquake Recovery Fund to provide certainty for rebuilding Canterbury. Rebuilding has started and economic activity is increasing. Construction is underway on 26 significant commercial buildings in the central city.
With Parliament in recess last week, it was a pleasure to attend a lot of great events in Tauranga.
Highlights of the week
Later in the week, highlights included attending and speaking to the Asia New Zealand Young Leaders conference – seeing so many bright young Kiwis with an interest in our nation’s place in the world was an inspiration to me. They share my view about the fundamental importance of Asia to New Zealand today and into the future economically and also socially. Last Saturday, I really enjoyed being part of the opening of two special beginnings: The first was the opening of a beautiful charity store at 100 Devonport Road for Orphans Aid International – visit www.orphansaidinternational.org Money raised will go to help local as well as international organisations assist children to escape abuse. I’ve long been concerned about the issues of child trafficking and abuse, where tens of millions of children worldwide are neglected as well as sold into labour and the global sex trade. Locals making a difference in this area are to be applauded. The second opening was of Bethlehem Baptist Church’s fantastic new auditorium on Bethlehem Road. Bethlehem Baptist has long been a force for good in our community, and with the new extension, they’ll be able to further their good works. I was impressed to learn from Pastor Craig Vernall that a recent audit of the church’s com-
The Restart the Heart shopping area in Cashel Mall is back on its feet as a thriving hub, drawing Cantabrians back to the central city.
the Crusaders to help lay turf harvested from AMI Stadium. We wish the Crusaders luck on their campaign to win an eighth Super Rugby title. We honour those who lost their lives, those who were injured, and those heroes who selflessly went to the aid of their fellow New Zealanders. Together, we will rebuild Canterbury. And while Christchurch will look different to what it did before, it will be a vibrant, new and great place to live.
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Carlee MacLean and Simon Bridges at the Orphans Aid International opening. munity work reveals it contributes about 1100 hours of volunteering in Tauranga each week! I’ve often thought our city would not survive without all the volunteering done at our foodbank, churches and other community groups. The Bethlehem Baptist congregation are a wonderful example of this, working with all ages from children through to the elderly.
Rebuilding Canterbury
The biggest event of the last couple of weeks has no doubt been the one year anniversary of the February 22 Canterbury earthquake. One year on, we have all reflected on what has been lost. On that day Christchurch, and indeed all of New Zealand, was changed forever. Nationals of 14 countries died in the earthquake, including a large number of New Zealanders. One hundred and eighty-five people lost their lives, and many more were badly injured. Our thoughts are with the friends and families of those who lost loved ones and, with all the people of Canterbury, who have lived through so much. It is also important to reflect on what has been achieved during the last year in terms of getting Canterbury back on its feet. We’re making good progress. We have committed $5.5 billion to the Canter-
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Among the occasions I went to was the installation of a new Vicar at St George’s Gate Pa Church. I am sure Reverend John Hebenton will do a fantastic job at a church and site of real historic importance in Tauranga. The next day, I went to the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. This terrific event proved conclusively to me that farming can marry good economics with best sustainable practice. The winners from around the Bay of Plenty should be very proud of themselves.
Back on its feet
About 200 infrastructure repair projects, valued at more than $420 million, are also underway across the city. Thousands of homes that were badly damaged are being repaired and many have already been restored. We are also working hard to create a sense of normality in our second biggest city. This includes a new Christchurch Stadium being built in Addington. Earlier this month, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee joined
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