Bill English visits quake-ravaged Kaikoura

Bill English takes a break in local cafe while on his first official visit as Prime Minister. Photo / Pool

Prime Minister Bill English is making his first official visit today - to earthquake-ravaged Kaikoura.
 
Accompanied by Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, he made the wet and blustery half hour hop across the Cook Strait in a Defence Force helicopter this morning.

Flying close to the coastline, English was able to get a good look at the rockfalls and slips that closed State Highway 1 following the 7.8 quake last month.
 
"God," he exclaimed, as the chopper looped around one of the largest slips, with the door open.

Spotting cars on a road below, he said "Gerry, how are these locals travelling?"
 
He wanted to know how equipment will be brought in to clear the roads and how heavy rain might affect the safety of those clearing the roads.
 
"That's pretty amazing progress in about eight days," Brownlee told him.
 
The pair also joked about the last PM - Brownlee said John Key was good a spotting Maui dolphins.

"He was a much smarter guy than me, hey, I don't know why we didn't make him director of recovery?" English said.

They spotted a pod of dolphins underneath. "This is pretty expensive whale-watching kit, Gerry," English said of the helicopter. 
 
English also quizzed an New Zealand Transport Authority official on board the helicopter about safety enhancements to the northern part of SH1, which was less affected in the quake. He was told work would begin on that "almost straight away".
 
Work on the major slips will start as early as January 4, English was told.

Prime Minister Bill English pays a visit to Kailoura. Photo / Pool

"Re-opening road as quickly as possible"

Re-opening SH1 and funding the dredging of Kaikoura Harbour will "push the button" on Kaikoura's recovery, English told about 30 local business owners.
 
"The $2-$3bn cost won't affect any other infrastructure. We want it to be absolutely clear we are re-opening that road as quickly as possible," he said.
 
He said the Government was being careful about the timing, but the road could be open within a year.
 
But once those projects - including a $5m grant to dredge the harbour - get into gear, it will allow the town to "swing into action".
 
One farmer said the town was being "strangled" because of slow progress on the road. He asked for an inquiry on how it was managed.

Prime Minister Bill English visits Kaikoura. Photo / Pool

Another was concerned it would take "eight weeks until we get one rock moved" on the northern part of the road.  Brownlee said the process was "quite technical, it's something I'd defend pretty strongly."

And there was concern officials were too cautious about allowing locals with 4WD vehicles access to the road. "Let locals that know the area take the risk. This would allow people up in Clarence to be part of this community," one man said.

One luxury accommodation owner asked if the Government could work with Air NZ to allow the airport to handle larger aircraft. "Those larger aircraft would be hugely helpful," he said.

Brownlee agreed a longer runway and an upgrade would be "ideal" and the Civil Aviation Authority had been working on it.

Brownlee said the quake presented an opportunity for locals to make improvements.

Earlier, English visited whale watch operations at South Bay Marina to hear about lethal underwater rock pinnacles that are preventing access to the slipway.  He also had a briefing from Mayor Winston Gray and council officials on repairs to water and sewage pipes.