Govt's delay over suburbs has residents at wits' end

Gerry Brownlee. Photo / APN

The rumour mill is running at a frenzy in earthquake-hit suburbs of Christchurch as residents wait anxiously to see if their suburbs have any future.

Thousands of homeowners are waiting to hear from the Government about whether the land beneath their homes, and around them in their suburbs, can be fixed after months of damaging quakes, including the magnitude 5.7 and 6.3 shakes that struck on Monday.

The Government says adequate time must be taken to get complete answers for people, but the Opposition has accused it of raising fears and being condescending with what few comments it has made.

Some residents are at the end of their tether.

"We don't want to second-guess them but in the vacuum of no information, speculation is pretty rife," said Barry Tutt, of the Bexley Residents Association.

"There's a lot of silly tales and people getting the wrong end of the stick."

Mr Tutt said it appeared obvious that the land in Bexley was "jiggered".

The past nine months - since the magnitude 7.1 quake in September - had been "like waiting in the office of the dental clinic".

Angela Wasley expects much of her suburb of Avonside will have to be abandoned and says residents have almost given up on waiting for news.

"They are doing what they can to put a roof over their heads. A lot of people have hit rock bottom and are bouncing up again," Ms Wasley said.

"I'm really surprised the Government hasn't sorted things quicker. Part of me feels it's not in their interests to come to a decision quicker. I have just lost confidence in politics."

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said the Government would report the findings on the land when it was ready, and would not be changing its programme "because people are indulging in speculation".

The speculation would end when the information was released.

Christchurch-based Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove said although people understood how complex the situation was, there was real angst about public comments made by Mr Brownlee and Prime Minister John Key.

"When John Key mused that the Government had a 'clear picture' of damage, people interpreted this as 'we know something you don't know'. This didn't go down well with affected residents.

"Secondly, Gerry Brownlee's comments that it is 'blindingly obvious' which suburbs will need to be abandoned are condescending, to say the least."

Mr Brownlee said he had no interest in what Mr Cosgrove had to say.

The Canterbury Communities' Earthquake Recovery Network (CanCERN), which represents dozens of residents' associations and community groups, says there are a lot more patient people than impatient ones.

"We would love to see it go faster, without a doubt," said chairman Tom McBrearty.

"But we are also aware that it's pulling pieces of string together and making sure the insurance companies and all the government departments agree, and everyone agrees to do the best for those people most affected."

Mr McBrearty urged residents who were forced to move from quake-hit suburbs to look at what they could achieve collectively.