Rush of interest in quake inquiry

The Christchurch CBD in the hours after after the quakes of June 13. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A late flurry has seen 62 parties formally express interest in making submissions to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into why so many buildings were destroyed by the Canterbury earthquakes.

The deadline for expressions of interest was last Friday and less than a week ago just 11 parties had put their names forward.

Commission executive director Justine Gilliland said the final level of interest was pleasing.

Civil Defence, the Historic Places Trust, the Fire Service, engineering firms, the Structural Engineering Society and Wellington City Council are among those registering interest but the Christchurch City Council was expected to decide at a meeting later this week if it would take part in the process.

The council, which is already providing information to the inquiry, had contacted the commission to ensure it could make a late expression of interest, as had a number of others, who said their forms were in the post.

The commission, launched after Christchurch's devastating 6.3-magnitude earthquake on February 22 which claimed 181 lives, has set out to answer questions over the strength of buildings in Christchurch's central business district (CBD), building standards and New Zealand's seismicity.

Expressions of interest have been received from bereaved families, eye witnesses who saw buildings collapse, people who were trapped in damaged buildings and cars, rescue workers, building owners and tenants in the CBD red zone, quantity surveyors, structural engineers, mechanical engineers and builders.

More than half of the interested parties said they had information, photographs and video footage about buildings in the Christchurch CBD.

Twenty parties had elected to appear before the Royal Commission. A few people requested private meetings and the balance did not specify how they would prefer to provide information.

The commission will provide an interim report to the Government by October 11.

A final report must be submitted no later than next April 11.

- NZPA