National versus Labour: Our record on Christchurch
The past decade has been tough for our second largest city. Unlike National, Labour’s backing the people of Christchurch so together, we can make it through COVID-19 and build back better.
Here’s how National’s record on Christchurch compares to our progress so far.
Under National, key projects were delayed and over-budget. We’re getting them built.
National left Christchurch’s rebuild stalled. Major projects like the Metro Sports Facility, Te Pae – Christchurch Convention Centre and the Canterbury Stadium faced delays and budget blowouts, or
simply weren’t funded at all.
Labour has got to work and made significant strides in getting these projects back on track, despite the impacts of COVID-19.
We’ve sorted out the mess at EQC.
Under National, Canterbury homeowners were forced to deal with botched repairs and ongoing legal proceedings. Over the past three years, we’ve taken a different approach to support Canterbury’s ongoing earthquake recovery, including changing the culture within EQC, committing to a more people-centred claims system, and supporting people with over-cap, on-sold properties with the cost of repairs. While we can’t reverse the damage that was done, we have taken significant strides to make sure the mistakes are never made again and to help Cantabrians get their homes fixed.
National wanted to close Redcliffs School. We rebuilt it.
After the 2011 earthquakes damaged Redcliffs School, National told families the school would shut for good. We listened to the community and rebuilt Te Raekura Redcliffs School.
We’re investing in Canterbury kids.
We made it a priority to support young Cantabrians who are still living with the impacts of the earthquake. We launched our Mana Ake programme in every primary and intermediate school in Canterbury to provide mental health support, and ensure young people get all the help they need to grow up safe, healthy and happy. This programme has been so successful that we’ve now committed to rolling it out nationwide over the next five years.
National underinvested in our health system. We’re rebuilding it.
When we came into Government, we inherited a health system that had been significantly underfunded. We have worked to begin turning that around by rebuilding and upgrading hospitals and health facilities right around the country, and by investing in neglected health services. In Canterbury, this includes funding new linear accelerator cancer treatment machines for the region, refurbishing child and maternity facilities in South Canterbury, relocating specialist mental health services to Hillmorton Hospital, and injecting $180m into the Canterbury DHB so they can get back to a sustainable financial footing.
We’ve also made doctors’ visits cheaper for many Cantabrians, boosted funding for PHARMAC so more people can access more publicly-funded medicines, and resolved Christchurch Hospital’s parking problems. All of these will mean more Cantabrians can get quality care, when and where they need it.
Labour’s strong track record in Christchurch shows we’re the Party that can be trusted to deliver the COVID recovery and rebuild New Zealand needs. There are challenges ahead, but our response so far means we’re now in a stronger position than many other countries – and now is not the time to put on the brakes. You can read more about our plan to create jobs, invest in our people and support Kiwi
businesses here.