The Star: November 30, 2017
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
Thursday <strong>November</strong> <strong>30</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 15<br />
Viewpoint<br />
Helping settle ‘complex’<br />
quake insurance claims<br />
AS A new minister,<br />
one of the biggest<br />
priorities for me<br />
has been getting<br />
faster resolution<br />
for people still<br />
dealing with EQC and<br />
insurance issues, nearly seven<br />
years after the earthquakes.<br />
For many of the people still<br />
in this position here in Christchurch,<br />
part of the problem is<br />
that they have complex or difficult<br />
claims. For those stuck in<br />
this situation, it feels like they<br />
are trapped in limbo. My priority<br />
is making sure these people can<br />
move on with their lives.<br />
Part of that is making sure the<br />
right support is available to help<br />
them navigate what can be very<br />
overwhelming and complex issues.<br />
This is where the Residential<br />
Advisory Service has been an<br />
absolute godsend for people over<br />
the last few years. <strong>The</strong> service<br />
helps people navigate their claims<br />
and gives people support and a<br />
bit of case management to get<br />
people through.<br />
Since the earthquake, more<br />
than 4500 people have had their<br />
claims resolved by the RAS. Yet<br />
under the previous Government,<br />
this service had been due to close<br />
in December due to a lack of<br />
funding.<br />
That’s not something our new<br />
Government wants to see. We<br />
know how important this service<br />
is, and we know that we can’t<br />
walk away from people while they<br />
are still struggling.<br />
When I was in Kaikoura recently<br />
for the one-year anniversary, I<br />
met with people who were using<br />
the service. I heard how much of<br />
an important lifeline it was. One<br />
woman told me she had been at<br />
the absolute end of her rope until<br />
she started working with RAS.<br />
She talked about how staff there<br />
went above and beyond to help<br />
her. That’s the approach our Government<br />
wants to see continue.<br />
That’s why we’ve announced<br />
we will be extending the RAS<br />
service until at least the middle of<br />
next year. With new funding, the<br />
service will be able to continue to<br />
help the people who need it and<br />
ensure people are getting access<br />
to justice and a way to get their<br />
claims sorted and get on with<br />
their lives.<br />
•Megan Woods is the Minister<br />
of Greater Christchurch<br />
Regeneration<br />
Seventy years on from<br />
the Ballantynes fire,<br />
survivors Lois Wheeler and<br />
Marion Hooykaas had an<br />
uncanny reunion<br />
Donna Dawber – Lois<br />
Wheeler was my mum’s friend<br />
in Richmond RIP Vera Gibson.<br />
Angel At Large – My mum<br />
was in the Ballantynes fire.<br />
She was 19. She saw so many<br />
of her friends burn to death.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y locked the fire escapes and<br />
wouldn’t let the girls in accounting<br />
leave their posts. So many<br />
unnecessary deaths. Her sister<br />
worked in Beaths across the<br />
road and watched too.<br />
Richard Carrigan – Great<br />
read. Mr and Mrs Wheeler were<br />
friends of mum and dad growing<br />
up. Major bit of Christchurch<br />
history as well.<br />
Jan Greig – I have the newspaper<br />
of that terrible day.<br />
SURVIVORS: Lois Wheeler, 92, and Marion Hooykaas, 87, both<br />
escaped the Ballantynes fire on <strong>November</strong> 18, 1947, although<br />
they did not meet until years later. PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER<br />
Helen Cox – Such a terrible<br />
tragedy but how lovely these<br />
ladies have met.<br />
Diane Rangi – I was threeyears-old<br />
when it happened.<br />
We lived in Spreydon. I can<br />
remember it still.<br />
Robyn Rodgers – I believe<br />
my aunty was working as a<br />
seamstress in Ballantynes, she<br />
was probably their senior back<br />
in those days.<br />
Judy Bagnall – My mum<br />
worked upstairs in Beaths across<br />
the road and witnessed the<br />
fire. <strong>The</strong>y were evacuated too.<br />
Think windows at Beaths were<br />
breaking with the heat.<br />
•Mayor’s column and more<br />
readers’ views, page 16<br />
53 Jaguar XK120 Drop Head<br />
67 Holden Premier HR 186<br />
71 Mercedes 280SE Restored<br />
84 Chev Silverado D/Cab Pick Up<br />
Christchurch Online<br />
Classic Car<br />
Auction<br />
Concludes Friday December 1st<br />
From 7.00pm<br />
Great variety of Classics located at<br />
Turners Cars Christchurch.<br />
1 Detroit Place, Addington<br />
Phone Ian on 021 339-512<br />
Total of approximately 20 classics<br />
included in this auction.<br />
For a full line-up of classics with details & photos<br />
together with bidding facility see:<br />
www.turners.co.nz/classic<br />
69 Sunbeam Imp restored<br />
02 Nissan 200SX Spec R, manual turbo<br />
69 Holden Kingswood 86 auto<br />
74 Mercedes 280E twin cam NZ new<br />
81 Toyota Crown extremely original<br />
01 Holden Commodore SS V8 Ute
Change language