banner
Stories
EQ Claims & Res
Earthquake Claims and Resolutions
 
 
We had the privilege of hearing from Ken Pope, National Manager of the Residential Advisory Service 
(RAS) and Darren Wright, Director of the Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service (GCCRS) last Thursday.
 
These free services cover the greater Christchurch area and are funded by the Government under the Innovation & Employment Service.
 
The GCCRS service arose to help those people who have not been satisfied with the repairs of a home bought post earthquake after having discovered bad workmanship or damage not noticed by the original insurance companies and have not received adequate payouts to cover the repairs.
 
In 2018 GCRS settled 1400 claims and has approximately 1000 people they are continuing to help.
 
The service offers the following:
 
  1. Organise a peer review.
  2. A facilitator to work with the homeowners Engineer and the Insurance Company’s Engineer so they can share information and work out a satisfactory result.
  3. Independent Dispute Service with Engineers & lawyers.
  4. A determinate Service if required presided by a High Court Judge to make a final decision.
  5. Tribunal service.
  6. Community Law group for free advice.
  7. A case manager is assigned to your case to help with wellbeing, engineering and technical issues.
 
The GCCRS is different to other services available as the package they offer is significant in that it recognises the wellbeing of the homeowners first and foremost and acknowledges that many of them have struggled to obtain any satisfactory help.
 
The Government also recognised that those in the greater Christchurch area had not been treated fairly by some Insurance companies and that the Residential Advisory Service and the GCCRS needed to work together to benefit the homeowners.
 
The Government has allowed $300 million for this programme.
 
Donna Cherry, one of our own Papanui Rotarians, is a lawyer with the Community Law group which has helped 1500+ people since the GCCRS began. In its latest survey figures 92% of people who have been helped are satisfied with this free service.
 
75% of people have used this service through word of mouth recommendation. Although the funding has been extended by the Government through to June 2021 it is expected to be extended again due to the number of cases still to be resolved.
 
Some homes purchased post earthquake and have uncovered damage due to EQC repairs not properly undertaken up to the limit of $ 115,000 the homeowner can still be helped. They need to register the damage with EQC or contact GCCRS before the 14th October 2020 if they bought the property before the 14th August 2020.  After this date homeowners can still get help but the process to access help will be more difficult as the EQC ACT is always open.
 
Questions & Answers session from the floor was:
 
  • What if I am proposing to buy a house in the Christchurch area?
 
It is fundamental if purchasing to have a professional House check.
 
  • What if my Insurance was with Southern Response?
 
The Government now has an MOU with this group to settle claims fairly. Recommend working through the GCCRS for clarity around any specific situation and its FREE.
 
  • What is the average time it takes for a case to be resolved?
 
Anywhere between 4-6 months on average.
 
85% of people take a Cash Settlement while the remainder undertake the repairs required.
 
Residential Advisory Service (RAS)
 
Ken Pope outlined the role of the Residential Advisory Service which works in tandem the GCCRS.  It’s focus is on Canterbury and Christchurch but also works across NZ when large scale disasters strike.
 
They helped work through 16-18,000 claims in Kaikoura and have been involved in claims in Edgecomb, Whakatane and along the coastal area of Wellington with landslips. They respond to National disasters and contract the staff for the GCCRS.
 
For Christchurch homeowners the RAS assists with unresolved damage claims under the EQC regime. Resolution / settlements are limited to EQC payments criteria. This service is available for all home owners not just those of onsold properties.
 
Ken summed up the work done by both groups by saying his greatest satisfaction is “making changes to peoples lives each and every day.”
 
Keep up the good work and spread the word!
 
 
Int Day of Peace
International Day of Peace 21st September 2020
 
 
FOUR STEPS TO PEACE PROJECT
Introduction
 
The United Nations International Day of Peace started in 1982 and now occurs each year on 21st September (for more details click here).
 
The Rotary District 9800 Peacebuilding Committee discussed at its meeting on Monday 17th August 2020 how Rotary could encourage recognition of this day and participation by Rotarians.
 
It was noted also that Hostelling International has, since 2013, promoted “Sleep for Peace” on this day at its hostels throughout the world. http://blog.hihostels.com/2019/06/sleepforpeace/
 
The Project
 
Taking account of the current limited ability for many people to freely travel and meet others to conduct events for this day it is proposed that a virtual event be conducted by your Club involving Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, members of Hostelling International globally and the public in an initiative called:
 
 
STEP 1 Be at Peace
Peace starts with each of us being at peace with ourselves so each participant would take a minimum of say 15 minutes to sit in silence and calm and contemplate what being at peace means to them.
 
STEP 2 Speak your Peace
In the current climate many people are limited in who they can physically connect with so this step is to speak to their closest connection and share with them what peace means to them. If there is no one physically close then they can connect with others by phone or other means available to them.
 
STEP 3    Write of Peace
The next step is to spread the word further by writing a message of peace and sending that or posting it on social media with the #b@peace. You are encouraged to be creative and have fun sharing!
 
STEP 4    Sleep for Peace
Seeing as how we all need to sleep somewhere and to tie in with the young travellers and other hostellers, this step is to celebrate how peaceful sleep is by sharing “sleep secrets” potentially with a photo such as objects that help to calm in the evening, locations where the best nights sleep was etc. also with the #b@peace.
 
Rotary Clubs, Rotaract Clubs and Interact Clubs can organise this as a peace project and encourage all members to take part on or before 21st September.  Upon completion of the four steps the club can collate the participation of all their members and friends and inform the District Peacebuilding Committee Chair.
 
 
Contacts District 9800
 
 
 
 
 
Pap Bush Update
Papanui Bush Update
 
 
John Stringer
 
Hi everyone, I’ve been working nights at Isolation Centers since March so have not been free to be at much of Rotary this year. When we’ve been allowed together ourselves I've been self-isolating during the day at Papanui Bush when able, and working with distanced others to make progress in 2020. 
 
One development is that I’ve negotiated a partnership with TransRail to co-manage the rail corridor alongside the Bush with Northgate Trust (Northcity Church) that sits on the land at the top end of the Bush.
 
The plan is to level this area with clean fill and topsoil, with large native trees; use historic disused rails and sleepers to create a fence and plant this area as a public walkway into the Bush from Sawyers Arms Rd next to the decommissioned Scout Den.  
 
There is also a plan down the track (literally) to erect a feature entrance way. TransRail are keen to support this and we are awaiting a formal response so we can take things further.
 
 
This area sat at the heart of the 1850s Bush, so is quite appropriate as a restoration project as part of what we’ve been accomplishing in the Bush itself.  We have had donated a large number of native flax, and the idea is take these and plant them outside the Bush along the barrier fence, along the TransRail corridor, to help create a barrier (both wind and noise) from the trains.
 
Denis and I have discussed this as a possible rolling-along project we could do with Rotary, starting at Langdons Rd end by MEGA and working our way up gradually to Sawyers Arms Rd filling in the gaps with harakeke (flax) plantings as we go. There are already a large number in situ along with old historic cabbage trees.
 
 
You might be interested in this early photo of the area which shows some of the post-Papanui Bush market gardening. Langdons Rd runs through the middle in front of the new Papanui Tech.
 
The 2018~ restored Papanui Bush runs where the trees are, over the house (at center) and to the west of Papanui High between the two parallel roads. The Kruses Waterway settling pond (Just left of the school wing) is still there today.
 
 
Snippets
 
 
Give Every Child a Future
 
To celebrate 100 years of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand, we’ve teamed up with UNICEF to give life-saving vaccines to 100,000 children across the Pacific. 
 
Rotary Give Every Child a Future is a sustainable project that will ensure generations of children and women are protected against cervical cancer, rotavirus and pneumococcal disease.
 
More info to come in future Chats.
 
 
Coffee Club
 
As we are returning to Level 1, our Coffee Club meetings at Reality Bites Cafe resume this Friday (September 25th) and we look forward to seeing you there at 10:00 am!
 
 
 
Still Young at Heart
 
Larry & Grant managed to sneak off to Mt Hutt at the weekend.  A great day was had with good snow, smaller crowds, settled weather and a relaxing pit stop at the Hororata Café Bar on the way home.
 
 
The President’s Blurb
 
Thank you to President-elect Grant Paice for stepping in last Thursday while I was in bed with a migraine.  I hear the speakers were very interesting. 
 
Arie and I along with Liz and Nick had the privilege last week along with many others in the district to participate in Australia/New Zealand virtual conference. It was intended to hold the conference in Alice Springs but Covid-19 resulted in it being turned into an on-line format. Over 900- Rotarians from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific participated on Saturday and on Sunday the number topped 1100. 
 
World RI President Holger Knaack addressed us as did the first woman nominated for the World President role, Jennifer Jones, on the need for change and innovation in Rotary. Past President Ian Riseley from Australia spoke as did incoming RI Director Jessie Harman who spoke to our club back in June. 
 
There was a clip showcasing projects in New Zealand. Three of those projects were Papanui Rotary projects so our club got plenty of air time and exposure. We will find a gap later in the year to present on conference to the members.
 
Thanks to Lois and the team for the work they are doing on the speech competitions. I am looking forward to the finals this Thursday.
 
Remember that dinner at the club this week is starting at 5.30pm so we can get away to Heaton Intermediate on time. 
 
Cheers 
 
Janice
 
 
Thought for the Week
 
 
Upcoming Events you are welcome to attend
 
Club meal before Junior Speech Comp. Finals
Heaton Intermediate School
Sep 24, 2020
5:20 PM – 8:45 PM
 
Coffee Club meet at Reality Bites Cafe
Reality Bites Cafe
Sep 25, 2020
10:00 AM – 11:05 AM
 
District Target Shooting competition
Sep 29, 2020
 
Averil Stevenson from Eco Sort
The Papanui
Oct 01, 2020
5:55 PM – 7:30 PM
 
Rotary meeting away from the Papanui Club
to be advised
Oct 08, 2020
 
View entire list
Meeting Responsibilities
Duty Roster 24 September 2020
 
Reception
Stringer, John
 
Speakers Host
 
Vote of Thanks
 
Visitors Host
 
Sergeant
 
Meeting Setup
McMurtrie, Denis
 
Banner Setup & Room Tidyup
Sedgley, Ron
 
Duty Roster 1st October 2020
 
Reception
Taylor, Tony
 
Speakers Host
Wright, Max
 
Vote of Thanks
Skiba, Larry
 
Visitors Host
Colley, Cheryl
 
Sergeant
Geerlofs, Arie
 
Meeting Setup
McMurtrie, Denis
 
Banner Setup & Room Tidyup
Sedgley, Ron
 
Duty Roster October 8th 2020
 
Reception
Spicer, Anne
 
Speakers Host
Dodd, Shona
 
Vote of Thanks
Thomson, Evan
 
Visitors Host
Bates, Mandi
 
Sergeant
Thomson, Rob
 
Meeting Set Up
McMurtrie, Denis
 
Banner Setup & Room Tidyup
Sedgley, Ron
 
Club Chat from Rotary Papanui
E: papanuirotary@gmail.com W: www.papanuirotary.org.nz
Apologies to rcpapologies@gmail.com      Chat Items to paice@xtra.co.nz
 
Centurions  $100 Payments to Rotary Club of Papanui Charitable Trust
Account number 03 1355 0661945 00.
In details area add your  name and the reference "Centurion".