Earthquake-Report

Hurunui DistrictCouncil Community Development Program: Earthquake Survey 2013
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Hurunui District Council Community Development
Programme
Identifying the non-structural impacts of the
2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence on the Hurunui District
A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that causes serious disruption of the
functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material,
economic and/or environmental losses that exceed the ability of the affected
community or society to cope using its own level of resources – UnitedNations

2
Terms of Reference
1. Identify non-structural impactsof the earthquakesonthe Hurunui District
2. The report isto include stakeholderidentificationandengagementstrategies
3. The report islimited inscope tothe effectsonthe Hurunui District
4. The draft reportto be completedbyMay31, 2013.
Author
SonnyWhitelaw,CommunityDevelopmentAdvisor,Hurunui DistrictCouncil
Acknowledgments
Thanksto Mary Sparrow(Waimakariri DistrictCouncil)andAmber Cripps(environmental scientist,URS
Brisbane) fortheiradvice andinsight,particularlyin surveymethodsandstakeholderidentificationand
engagement.Thanksalsotothe manyservice providerswhotookthe time toanswermyquestions.
Lastlybut mostimportantly,thankyoutoall the people of the Hurunui Districtwhotookpartin the
survey,interviews,anddiscussions.Manyof youare heroes,althoughyouwouldneverregardyourselves
as such,and I am humbledbyyourgenerosityandyoukindness,evenasyoucontinue todeal withyour
ownlossand grief foryour much-lovedcity.Youopenedyourheartsandsouls,sharedyourtragediesand
triumphs,andyourhopesand dreamsfora brighterfuture.Withoutyou,thisreportwouldnothave
beenpossible.
“After the February earthquake our son in law and his cousin…were called in
to assist with re-establishing communications for the police, and another
young friend served with St John. We are very proud of them for risking their
lives to help others during the aftershocks and of their young wives who
stayed behind caring for their children.” – Rae Graham, Waipara

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Contents
1.0 Executive summary ....................................................................................................................4
2.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................6
3.0 Research parameters..................................................................................................................8
3.1 Non-structural impacts ...................................................................................................... 8
4.0 Methodology ..............................................................................................................................9
4.1 Identifying relevant stakeholders......................................................................................10
4.1.1 Group A service providers ....................................................................................................................11
4.1.2 Group B residents...................................................................................................................................11
4.2 Research limitations .........................................................................................................11
4.2.1 Stakeholder obstacles ...........................................................................................................................11
4.2.2 Time constraints.....................................................................................................................................12
4.2.3 Cost...........................................................................................................................................................12
4.2.4 Accessibility.............................................................................................................................................12
4.2.4 Timing of the survey ..............................................................................................................................12
4.3 Representivity – overcoming stakeholder obstacles...........................................................12
5.0 Survey questions.......................................................................................................................14
5.1 Group A service providers.................................................................................................14
5.2 Groups B1 and B2 .............................................................................................................14
6.0 Results.......................................................................................................................................15
6.1 Group A service providers.................................................................................................15
6.1.1 Council......................................................................................................................................................15
6.1.2 Schools .....................................................................................................................................................15
6.1.3 Medical services .....................................................................................................................................16
6.1.4 Social services .........................................................................................................................................16
6.1.5 NGO volunteer organisations based in the Hurunui........................................................................17
6.1.6 Police........................................................................................................................................................17
6.1.7 Real estate agents..................................................................................................................................17
6.2 Group B............................................................................................................................18
6.2.1 Employment............................................................................................................................................18
6.2.2 Ward demographics ..............................................................................................................................18
6.2.3 Resident demographic..........................................................................................................................19
6.2.4 Household demographic.......................................................................................................................20
6.2.5 Group B1..................................................................................................................................................21
6.2.6 Group B2..................................................................................................................................................23
7.0 Discussion .................................................................................................................................25
7.1 Defining earthquake affected areas...................................................................................25
7.2 Impacts on the Hurunui District.........................................................................................26
7.3 Summary..........................................................................................................................29
8.0 Recommendations....................................................................................................................30
9.0 References ................................................................................................................................31

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1.0 Executive summary
“We are dealing with many more cases of anxiety, depression and social isolation, particularly
in the Hurunui District, but we don’t have the resources.”1
The CanterburyEarthquake RecoveryAuthority(CERA)isthe agencyleadingandcoordinatingthe
recoveryof greaterChristchurchfollowingthe September2010 and February2011 earthquakes. The area
overwhich CERA hasresponsibility wasdefinedunderthe Canterbury EarthquakeRecovery Act2011
usingcouncil boundaries ratherthangeographicimpact.CERA covers greaterChristchurch,whichunder
the Act includes the SelwynandWaimakariri Districts.
It islesscommonlyrecognisedthatthe Hurunui District,Canterbury, alsoexperiencedearthquake
damage,with 3,400 buildingclaimsandabout200 land claims2
lodgedwiththe NZGovernment
Earthquake Commission(EQC).The Hurunui simultaneouslybecame ahostcommunityforpeople fleeing
the CERA zone,particularlyfollowingthe 22February2011 quake.Thisreportidentifies someof the non-
physical impactsof the earthquakesonthe Hurunui District,includingthe methodsusedtoidentifyand
survey stakeholdergroups.
“Christchurchwasour city, too,and it feels likeour heart hasbeen ripped out.”
Christchurch isthe geographical, functional,andemotional heartof Canterbury, anareathat stretches
well outside the boundariesof CERA.Followingthe February22earthquake, the Hurunui District inNorth
Canterbury lostmanyfamiliarandvital economic,social,cultural, recreational,educational,andwelfare
services thatgreaterChristchurch provided.
The study revealsthatfollowingthe earthquakes many service providersalreadyundereconomic
pressure toscale back theiractivitiesweredrawnfromthe Hurunui tothe CERA zone.A suddenand
simultaneous influx of internallydisplacedpeople intothe Hurunui increasedpressure on local
educational andhealthcare facilities—some of whichwere alreadymarginal—andtoa lesserextent
affectedthe social structure anddynamicsof the district.Hurunui residentsaffectedbythe quakeswere
excludedfromarange of services andassistance grants.Crucially,because itfallsoutsidethe CERA zone,
the Hurunui Districtwas alsoexcludedfromprocessestodetermine the needsof the districtand
measurestoaddressthese needs;forexample,the CERA wellbeingsurveyto,‘Investigate arange of ways
inwhichpeople have beenaffectedbythe earthquakes’andthe CanterburyDistrictHealthBoard (CDHB)
and Mental HealthFoundation AllRight?campaignto, ‘Ensure wellbeingisatthe heartof [Canterbury’s]
recovery’3
.
“EQCwere very rude andunhelpful … they don’tcare about us livinghere.”
Some Hurunui District residents didnotclaimforearthquake damage becauseEQCinspectorsinformed
themtheywere outside the CERA zone. Manyothers made no claims because theyfeltotherswere
‘worse off’. These ‘lackof entitlement’feelings were andstill are compoundedby guilt,particularly
where friendsorfamilylivinginthe CERA zone are regardedas worse off,leadingtoan unwillingnessto
complainorto seek advice orhelp.Thisisa commontheme,reinforcedbyanabsence of requestsfor
assistance from healthcare providers,validatingthe flawedcircularreasoning inadvertentlycreatedby
CERA’smanagementboundaries:the Hurunui wasnotaffectedbythe earthquakes,ergoitisnotaffected
by the aftermathandis therefore not entitledtoassistance.
“It’slike we don’teven exist to the CanterburyDistrict Health Board.”
1 All quotes in invertedcommas are fromthe Hurunui District earthquake surveys.
2 InformationprovidedbyEQCoriginallystated there were ‘in excessof 400’ claims;the figure was updated subsequent to this
report being releasedandhas beenamended in this version.
3 Thanks to the All Right? campaignco-ordinator this is now being rectified.

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Many in the Hurunui Districtwere indeed unaffectedordevelopedsoundcopingstrategies inresponseto
the earthquakes.Displacedpeople who leftthe CERA zone andwho have chosento remain inthe district
are forthe mostpart happywiththeirnew life in welcomingandsupportive rural communities.But thisis
not the case formany others,bothexistingresidentsandnew arrivals, whose qualityof lifehasbeen
severely compromised. Researchand evidence gathered forthisreportunequivocally showsthattrauma
and stress,whenleftuntreated resultsinahighercost toindividuals,the community,and social service
providers.These costsare botheconomicthroughreducedproductivity, andsocial throughincreased
alcohol anddrug abuse, bullying, familyviolence,relationshipbreakdown, andsuicide. Amongstsome
newarrivalstothe areasand particularlyamongst the unusuallyhigh elderlypopulationinthe Amberley
Ward, there isalsoa sense of isolation,vulnerability,and reducedconfidence.
Recommendations
 Greaterassistance fromand recognition bythe RCPHOof the issuescurrentlybeingfacedby
medical clinics.
 Greaterfundingforexistentbutunder-resourcedsocial servicesmandatedtoservice the Hurunui
 Greaterempowermentof andmore investmentinrural communityorganisations,forexample
trusts, to identifyandrespondtolocal needs ratherthancentralisingcore servicesinurbanareas
where economiesof scale resultinrural areasbeingsidelined
 Specificneedsare inthe areaof drug and alcohol intervention, elderlyservices particularlyinthe
AmberleyWard,andcrucially,mental healthcare services includingpre-emptivecampaigns.
Failure toaddressthissoonwill ultimatelyplace anunsustainable cost-burdenonhealthcare,
social service,and welfare systems.Ultimatelythe communityasawhole will suffer
 Government-level recognition of the critical role playedby hostcommunitiesfollowingdisasters
 Furtherresearchbe undertaken todevelopadequate preparationandappropriate response
strategiesforcommunitiesthat fall outsidepolitically-definedmanagementboundaries suchas
those usedby CERA
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 (CERA)
legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2011/0012/latest/DLM3570801.html
4 Interpretation
1) Inthis Act,unlessthe contextotherwise requires,—
council meansthe ChristchurchCityCouncil,the CanterburyRegionalCouncil
(EnvironmentCanterbury),the SelwynDistrictCouncil,orthe Waimakariri District
Council
greater Christchurch meansthe districtsof the ChristchurchCityCouncil,the Selwyn
DistrictCouncil,andthe Waimakariri DistrictCouncil,andincludesthe coastal
marine areaadjacentto these districts

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2.0 Introduction
“Everything that was familiar to us has gone.”
The CanterburyEarthquake RecoveryAuthority(CERA)isthe agencyleadingandcoordinatingthe
recoveryof greaterChristchurchfollowingthe September2010 and February2011 earthquakes.The area
overwhich CERA hasresponsibility wasdefinedunderthe Canterbury EarthquakeRecovery Act2011
usingcouncil boundariesratherthangeographicimpact.CERA coversgreaterChristchurch,which under
the Act includesthe SelwynandWaimakariri Districts (Fig1).
It islesscommonlyrecognisedbyorganisationsand governmentagenciesoutsidethe districtthatthe
Hurunui alsoexperiencedearthquakedamage, with3,400 buildingclaimsandabout200 land claims
beinglodgedwiththe EQC.The districtsimultaneouslybecameahostcommunityforinternallydisplaced
people fleeingthe CERA zone,particularlyfollowingthe 22 February2011 quake sequence4
.More
widespreadandarguablymore damagingisthe emotional traumathatcontinuestoimpactpeople living
inthe district,boththose wholivedinHurunui priortothe quakes,andinternallydisplacedpeoplewho
remaineitherbychoice orbecause theyfeel theyhave noalternative.The damage cause bythe quakes
to the physical environment—the landandbuiltenvironments—inthe Hurunui is toa large extentbeing
quantifiedthroughthe Earthquake Commission(EQC) andinsurance providers,while rural impactshave
beensurveyedbyCanterburyUniversity.
Thisreportseeksto identifyandquantifysome of the non-structuralimpactsonthe Hurunui District of
the >26,0000 quakes since September2010 that have struck Canterbury.Itwas drivenbyanecdotal
evidence thatlarge numbersof internallydisplaced peoplemovedintothe district,affectingeducational
and healthcare facilities,utilitiesandpublicassets,andthe social structure anddynamicsof the area,
while service providersalreadyundereconomicpressure toscale backtheiractivitiesweredrawnfrom
the Hurunui to post-quake higherneedsareasdefinedunder CERA.
4 There were four major earthquake sequences beginning 4 September 2010 (12351 quakes), followedbythe 22 February
sequence (7923 quakes), 13 June 2011 (3981 quakes) and23 December (2057 quakes)www.christchurchquakemap.co.nz.
What’s in a name?
The term ‘internally displaced’ is used in this report to describe what are colloquially referred to as
‘earthquake’or ‘environmental refugees’.The OECD describes an environmental refugee as, ‘a person
displaced owing to environmental causes, notably land loss and degradation, and natural disaster.’
The UNEP describes them as, ‘those people who have been forced to leave their traditional habitat,
temporarily or permanently, because of a marked environmental disruption [natural and/or
manmade] that jeopardized their existence and/ or seriously affected the quality of their life.’ Both
organisations also refer to ‘refugees’ as those who leave their country. Thus, the 11,000+ people who
left Christchurch for Australia following the quakes may be referred to as ‘environmental refugees’ if
they left as a direct result of the quakes, whereas those who remained in New Zealand are more
correctly referred to as ‘internally displaced’. For the purposes of this report, people who fled
Christchurch to the Hurunui, regardless of the type of accommodation they moved into—holiday
home, rental property, friends or family—are all regarded as internally displaced.

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To developaquantifiedunderstandingof the nature andscale of changesto the Hurunui District, an
online survey, telephone,andface-to-faceinterviews were undertakentodeterminethe effectof the
quakesonresidentsand service providers,the movementof peopleintothe districtandthe concomitant
effectsonthemandthe servicesandthe communitiesintowhichtheymoved.The methodologyusedto
identifyandengage stakeholdersgroupsisincluded inthisreport.
The purpose of the reportisto informplanningandresponse strategiesacrossall sectors,andmayassist
residentsof the Hurunui tounderstandhow theirdistrictwasaffected.Toensure transparencythis
reporthas beenmade available toservice providersandthe public.
Fig 1. The Canterbury Region.The area boundedby CERA (blue) includesthe greaterChristchurch area
as definedunderthe CERA Act 2011: Selwynand Waimakariri Districts and Christchurch City. The
Canterbury earthquake sequence,nowin excessof 27,000 quakes,is centredin the CERA zone.The
Hurunui District (orange) liesimmediatelytothe north.

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3.0. Research parameters
The impact of the earthquakesonthe physical environment—the landandbuiltenvironments—inthe
Hurunui isbeingquantifiedthroughthe EQC,CERA,and insurance providers.Inaddition tothe physical
damage directlyattributabletothe quakes,evidence suggeststherewasandcontinuestobe social,
cultural,economic,andenvironmental impacts.While recognisingthere are strongfeedback
relationshipsbetween the physicaldamage, social, economic(publicandprivate) andenvironmental
factors,thisreportprimarilyfocusesonthe social impactsof the earthquakesandtheiraftermath. As
there isa considerable cause andeffect andfeedback relationshipbetweentheseparameters,the term
‘non-structural’impactsisusedthroughoutthisreport.
3.1 Non-structural impacts
“Peopleand familieshavebeen dislocated fromtheir usual support networks; isolationisa
major problem.”
Anecdotal evidence fromthe six wardsinthe Hurunui District:Amberley,Cheviot,Glenmark,Hanmer
Springs,Amuri,andHurunui, suggested thatthe movementof anunknownnumberof internally
displacedpeople intothe Hurunui District alteredthe social dynamicsandincreasedsocial pressuresat
home,work,andin educational environments.Forexample,householdstakinginfamilyandfriends,
schoolstakinginmore students,fewerjobsavailable.Thisisnotmerelyamatterof increasednumbers.
Researchshowsthatthe suddeninflux of stressedandtraumatisedpeople whohave noclearlydefined
time frame whenorif theymightleave the districtorwhat theirfuturesmighthold,placessevere
psychological aswell asphysical burdensonvirtuallyall aspectsof the hostcommunity.Thisis
exacerbatedwhenthe hostcommunity itself isalsosufferingdirectemotional andpsychological impacts
and insome instancesphysical damage.Moreover, the longerdisplacedpeople remaininastate of
uncertaintythe lesslikelytheywillbe able toadaptto theirchangedcircumstancesorsee a way ahead.
Many displacedpeopleaswell asexistingresidentsare unaccustomedtorelyingongovernmentorsocial
servicesorexternal aid. Displacedpeople inparticularare unlikelytorecognise themselvesas
stakeholdersinthe future of the Hurunui Districtwhentheyhave novisionof theirownfutures.Thisin
turn placesadditional stressburdensonpeople with whomtheyare inday-to-daycontact,fromthe
school playgroundtothe workplace.Researchindicatesthisleadstoan increase instress-relatedillnesses
and concurrentreducedproductivity,increaseddomesticviolence andbreakdownof relationships,and
suicide, resultinginanoverall reducedsense of wellbeingandqualityof lifeinaffectedcommunities5
.
A second impactrelatestoservice providersmandatedand/orfundedtoservice NorthCanterbury.
Evidence suggeststhatmanyprovidersalreadyunder economicpressure toscale backtheiractivities
partiallyorfullywithdrewfromthe Hurunui to service regions coveredbyCERA:Waimakariri andSelwyn
DistrictsandChristchurchCity.While economiesof scale certainlyexplainthistosome degree,there is
alsoa prevalentperceptionthatthe Hurunui Districtwasand remainslargelyunaffectedbythe quakes
and theiraftermath.Where social servicesandhealthcare providersregard the Hurunui aspart of ‘North
Canterbury’,evidence fromthe Hurunui isfoldedintothe general‘NorthCanterbury’statistics,however
the focusremainsfirmlycentredon those partsof NorthCanterbury that fall withinthe scope of CERA:
the Waimakariri District.
In October2012, CERA publishedaWellbeingSurveyinpartnershipwithChristchurchCityCouncil,
Waimakariri DistrictCouncil,SelwynDistrictCouncil,CanterburyDistrictHealthBoard,Te Runangao Ngāi
Tahu, andthe GNSNatural Hazards ResearchPlatformto:‘Investigate arange of waysinwhichpeople
have beenaffectedbythe earthquakes.Thatincludedlookingatthe prevalence andcausesof stress,
qualityof life,social connectedness,satisfactionwiththe recoveryandanypositive impactspeople may
be experiencing.’6
Byvirtue of beinglocatedinthe SelwynDistrict,residentsof Arthur’sPass forexample
were identifiedasstakeholdersandthuseligible totake partin the survey.Althoughsome fourhundred
5 See for example Gordon (2012).
6 newfoundations.org.nz/pdf/Final%20version%20for%20release%20CERA%20Wellbeing%20Survey%202012%20Report.pdf .

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claimsfromHurunui ratepayerswere lodgedwiththe Earthquake Commission7
,andasa host community
it tookinan indeterminatenumberof internallydisplacedpeople,the Hurunui Districtwasexcludedfrom
the survey.Moreover,existingresidentsof the Hurunui Districtwere notentitledtothe full range of
grants andbenefitsaffordedtoareascoveredbyCERA.For example,Hurunui residentswereunable to
applyforthe 2010 RelocationGrant(upto $2,750) tomove out of damagedhomesingreenzoneswhile
intendingtomove backinonce repairsare undertaken4
.Thisisrelevanttotenantsanduninsured
propertyownersinthe Hurunui whose propertieswere damaged.
In February2013 the CanterburyDistrictHealthBoard(CDHB) launchedthe ‘All Right?’ social marketing
campaignto ‘ensure wellbeingisatthe heartof our[postearthquake] recovery’8
.The ‘All Right?’
campaignwas designedasaresultof a phone surveythroughoutChristchurch,SelwynandWaimakariri
Districts.Whencontacted,the CDHB initiallycouldprovidenoexplanationwhythe Hurunui District,a
ward initsdistrictaffectedbythe earthquakes,wasexcluded.Itwasultimatelydeterminedthatthe
campaignwas designedtotargetonlythe areacoveredbyCERA,and limitedfundingwasavailable.
Whenthe campaignorganiserswere informedof the preliminaryresultsof thisreport,they responded
quicklyandare nowworking withWellBeingNorthCanterburytodeliverthe campaigntothe Hurunui.
4.0 Methodology
The onlydata available to mapthe movementof people intothe districtfollowingthe Septemberand
Februaryearthquakes comesfromenrolmentstatistics (Fig2),Workand Income (WINZ) beneficiary
statistics,andschool rolls.All are of extremelylimitedvalueinestimating changestothe population,for
several reasons:
 Displacedpeoplewere unlikelytogive prioritytoregistering asvoters,especially whenno
electionswereimminent
 Notall displacedpeopleintend(ed)toremaininthe Hurunui
 Notall displacedpeoplewere orbecame beneficiariesof WINZ
 Some displacedpeople whowereorbecame beneficiariesof WINZidentified theirpermanent
home to be inside the CERA zone
 Some displacedpeople registeredas‘nofixedabode’
 The statisticsforelectoral rollsandWINZdo notcapture all childrenunder18
 School rollsbefore the earthquakedonotreflectthe numberof under18s whoregard Hurunui as
home,butwere boardinginChristchurch.Similarly,the abruptincrease inschool enrolments
afterthe February22 quake reflectedamix of boardingstudentsreturninghome andinternally
displacedstudentsenrollingforthe firsttime.All school rollsreturnedtonearnormal within
weeks
The short-termmovementof large numbersof people intothe districtisbornoutby the brief change in
school rollsthroughoutthe district. Censusdataavailable laterthisyearwillprovideamore accurate
picture of the Hurunui Districtpopulation anddemographics.
7 New Zealand RedCross 2013 CanterburyEarthquake RecoveryUpdate February2013.
8 cdhb.govt.nz/communications/media/2013/130225.htm .

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Fig 2. Estimated populationstatistics at 30 June 2012, using2006 census data and September2012
enrolmentstatistics.
4.1 Identifying relevant stakeholders
Stakeholdersmust be enabled sothat they canengage in meaningful dialogue.9
The term ‘stakeholder’referstoindividuals,groups,organizations,andsocietiesthathave aninterestor
investmentinsomethingthatmay be affectedbya decisionoraction10
.The ‘action’inthiscase isthe
Canterburyearthquakesandtheiraftermath.Becauseof the scale of the disaster,itcouldbe arguedthat
virtuallyall governmentagenciesinNew Zealandandthe districtsoutsideCanterburythattookin
internallydisplacedpeople couldbe regardedasstakeholders.Howeverunderthe termsof reference of
thisreporttheyare not regardedas relevantstakeholders.Relevantstakeholdersare definedas:
4.1.1 Group A: Providers
9 Krick et al 2005.
10 See for example Mitchell, Agle andWood1997;Ramirez 1999.

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“Somestudents andstaff are still traumatised.”
Service andinfrastructure providersincluding council,emergencyservices,educationproviders,local
medical services, governmentsocial andmedical servicesthatnormallyservice the Hurunui District,and
NGOs.Many of these representative stakeholderswere notbasedinthe Districtpriorto the earthquakes
and/orare not basedinthe Districtat the time thisreportwascompiled.These stakeholders were
clusteredintosevensub-groups:
1. Council:customerservice,roading,water,tourism,civildefence,rubbish/recycling,building,
amenitiesandspecial projects,environmental services,YouthCouncil,andlibraries
2. Schools
3. Healthcare servicesincludingexternalandinternal providers
4. Social service providers
5. NGOs andcharitable groupssuchas Lions
6. Police
7. Real estate agents.While these are businessesratherthanservice providersperse,theyoffer
insightintothe movementof people intothe districtandhousingneeds
4.1.2 Group B: Residents
Group B1: people whonormallylivedinthe Hurunui Districtpriortothe earthquakesandare still livingin
the District.All people inthisgroup,of all ages,are regardedasrelevantstakeholders.
Group B2: Internallydisplacedpeoplewhohave movedintothe Hurunui Districttemporarilyor
permanentlyasadirectresultof the quakesand theiraftermath.Theymayalreadyhave owned
property,forexample holidayhomes;theymaybe renting,livingwithfriends,family,incampingsites,or
theymay be innewlybuiltorpurchasedhomes.All peopleinthisgroup,of all ages,are regardedas
relevantstakeholders.
Service providers (GroupA) livinginthe Hurunui Districtbelongtobothgroups,forexample policeand
emergencyserviceworkers,teachersetc.
4.2 Researchlimitations
These were identifiedpriortoundertakingthe survey.
4.2.1 Stakeholder obstacles
4.2.1.1 Some stakeholderswere unableto providerelevant information.
Group A: Service providers
 Some providerswere unabletoquantifychanges indemandsfortheirservicesspecificallyinthe
Hurunui,as the districtfallsunderthe ‘NorthCanterbury’umbrella,dominatedbythe assumed
greaterneeds areasinside the CERA zone
 Some providerstaxedbeyondnormal limitstoserve areasphysically impactedbythe quakes
unintentionallydisregardthe needsof the Hurunui because theyperceived areasoutside the
CERA zone to be ‘essentiallyunaffected’
 Some providerswere aware the Hurunui Districtwasaffected,howevereconomiesof scale
dictatedthe needtoconcentrate theirservices inmore centralised areasinthe CERA zone
 Some providerswere physicallyimpactedbythe quakestosuchan extenttheywere unable to
functioncorrectly.Insome instances datawaspermanentlylostornew datanot recordedasstaff
simply‘gotonwithcritical jobs’ratherthan worryingaboutpaperwork
 Most providersdonotkeeprecordsof demandsforservicestheycannotfulfil and/orreferralsto
otheragenciesorproviders

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4.2.1.2 Not everyone recognisesthemselves as stakeholders,whilethose who do somay not have had
the capacity to register themselves assuch
ResidentsGroupB1
 Migrant workers(predominantlyagricultural) whomayhave beenburdenedbylanguage
barriers,cultural factors,or a sense of nothavinga ‘stake’inthe future of the district
ResidentsGroupB2
 Undecidedaboutremaininginthe district
 Intendtoleave the districtbuthave no capacityto do so;ie,theycannot envisage afuture
4.2.1.3 Some stakeholdersmay disregardthe validityofother stakeholders
Some inGroup A disregardthe needsof GroupB on the assumptionthatGroup B wasnot greatly
impactedbythe quakes.Real estate agents inGroupA,for example, have acommercial interestin
presentingapositive view of propertiesorareas theyrepresent.
Some inGroup B1 regardsome in GroupB2 as havingno validclaimtothe future of theircommunityor
the districtas a whole.Asthese twogroupswere notdirectlyengagingwithone anothertomake a group
decision,thisisnot regardedas an obstacle exceptwhere,forexample,landlordsorprimarytenants
mightdisregarddisplacedfamily/friendslivingwiththemasstakeholders,andmaynotgive thema voice
on the survey.
4.2.2 Time constraints
The data neededtobe collectedby early April inordertocollate the material andcomplete the final
reportby the endof the fundingperiodJune 2013.
4.2.3 Cost
There wasno specificbudgettoconductthe research;ratherit fell underthe general community
developmentbudget.Withlimitedresourcesitwas notpossible tocontractthe surveytoa thirdparty
organisationsuchasNeilson,undertake door-to-doordatacollectionof datafromGroupsB1 and B2, or
for more than one persontocollectandcollate data andcomplete the report.
4.2.4 Accessibility
Noteveryone inthe Hurunui Districthasaccessto the Internet.Some were unwillingtocompletean
online survey, orwantedmore information.
4.2.5 Timing of the survey
As the surveywasconductedat the same time as the 2013 Census,there wasa risk of surveyfatigue.
4.3 Representivity –overcoming stakeholder obstacles
The advertisingandsurveywere designedtotargeta wide range of stakeholdersenablingthemtotell
their‘earthquake story’whetherornottheyfelttheyhadan investmentinthe future of the Hurunui (Fig
3). In orderto capture the largestnumberof respondents,the surveywasconductedinthe NearYear
afterall schoolsand mostbusinessesandthe publicservice sectorhadreturnedtowork.Letterbox drops
were made the same weekasthe secondanniversaryof the earthquakes.The surveywasadvertisedand
initiatedpriortothe 2013 Census.

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Group A: Interviewswere conductedinpersonwhere possible orbyphone andinsome instancesemail.
Priorto conductingthe survey, eachrespondentwasinformedof the purpose of the survey.Theywere
advisedthata copy of the report wouldbe publicallyavailable,the results couldbe usedtoinformtheir
respective organisations,potentiallyleading toimprovements inservices,andthe dataand resultsmay
provide material forfurtherresearch.
GroupsB1 and B2: Respondentswere invitedtouse the computersandinsome instancesfree Internet
access throughthe districtlibraries.Librariansandvolunteersactivelypromotedthe surveyand assisted
people incompletingitonline.The CommunityDevelopmentAdvisorspoke togroupsandorganisations
to explainthe importance andpurpose of the survey,andwasavailable atall of the districtlibrarieson
several occasionsthroughoutFebruaryandMarchat timesanddatesadvertisedinall local newsletters
includingschool newsletters,onthe Hurunui DistrictCouncil home page banner,andthroughletterbox
drops (Fig3). In manycases people didnotwishtodo‘a survey’butto provide informationinone-on-one
interviewsanddiscussionsduringthe surveyperiod.
The survey,bothonline andininterviews, wasdesignedtogive peopleavoice,potentiallyreleasing
emotionsandfrustrations.Itwasanticipatedthatinsome instancesthe surveymightprove catharticby
helpingtoconsolidateandidentifyvague orill-formedirritationsandfrustrations.Thiscouldhave
positive ornegative ramifications.The positivesinclude:recognitionof problemspreviouslyunidentified,
resultinginindividuals/familiesactivelyseekinghelpandultimatelyleadingtoa betteroutcome.
Negativesinclude:triggeringemotionsthathadbeensuccessfullysublimated.
Fig 3. Advertisementsappearedinthe Hurunui Newsin consecutive issuesthroughoutthe duration of
the survey,in local communitypapers includingschool newsletters,andin letterboxdrops. Dates and
timeswhere the community developmentadvisorwouldbe presentin local librariesor service centres
was included,such as this example usedinHanmer Springs.

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5.0 Survey questions
5.1 Group A Service Providers
It was establishedpriortothe surveythatrespondentswere able toansweronbehalf of their
organisationandeitherworkedfortheir organisationpriortothe earthquakesorwere able toprovide
bothpre- and post-earthquakedata.
Question1. Followingthe Februaryearthquake,didyourorganisationexperience anincrease indemand
for itsservices?
Question2. (Ifyes) Did yourorganisationhave sufficientresourcestodeal withthisincreaseindemand?
Question3. (Ifno) Do youfeel yourclientele/students/customers weredisadvantagedinanyway
because of thislack?
Question4. (If yes to Question2) What resourcesdidyouneed?
Question5. Isyour organisationcurrentlyexperiencingagreaterdemandonservicesthanpriorto the
earthquakes?
Question6. (Ifyes) Do you have sufficientresourcestodeal with thisincrease indemand?
Question7. (Ifno) Do youfeel yourclientele/students/customers are disadvantagedinanywaybecause
of thislack?
Comments.
5.2 Groups B1 and B2 Residents
The online surveychannelledrespondentsinto twogroups. Fig4 maps the questiontypesandtargeted
groups.
Fig 4. Survey map for Group B

15
6.0 Results
6.1 Group A: service providers
“Wehave sufficientinWaimakariri butvirtuallynorepresentation in the Hurunui. Weare
dealingwithmany more cases of anxiety,depressionandsocial isolation,particularlyinthe
Hurunui District, but we don’t have the resources.”
Eighty-fourorganisationswere contacted;77 respondedand/orwere able toprovidedata.The data from
the closed questionscannotbe readoutof contexttothe open questionanswersandcomments.Each
sectorprovidedquite differentsetsof datainresponse tothe same questions.Theseare notdirectly
comparable otherthanto assessthe overall resiliencyandcapacityof eachsector.
“There are a large numberof elderly movingto Amberley,but we have nofundingforvolunteer
in-homevisits.There isalsoa shortage of fundingforother key services andstaffto service the
Hurunui.”
6.1.1 Council
Aside fromthe libraryinHanmerSprings, where resourceswererapidlydepleted,councilserviceswere
minimallyaffectedandall serviceshave now returnedtonormal.A more detailed reportwill be
presentedtoCouncil.
6.1.2 Schools
Generallyspeaking, all schoolsinthe districtrespondedrapidlyandwithextraordinaryresiliencyinthe
face of an abruptand suddenincrease instudentnumbers.
 Enrolmentsswelledbetween20-80%,decliningtonearnormal withinweeks.While mostschools
receivedsupportfromthe Ministryof Education, othersuchas Leithfieldand Waikari ‘wentit
alone’.Waikari,forexample,witharoll of lessthan50, is out of pockettensof thousandsof
dollars. Otherschoolswere overfunded becausealarge numberof people fledthe CERA zone
followingthe February22 quake,andschools’annual budgetiscalculatedbasedonstudent
numbersat 01 March.
 Some staff and studentsexperiencedandstill experience ongoingstressand emotionaltrauma
and the CDHB has not alwaysrespondedadequately.
 Some parentsandteachingstaff do notfeel entitledtoassistance giventhatothers inthe CERA
zone are worse off.
 Omihi School lostitsstaffroomand men’stoilets,whichposedanimmediateandongoing
dilemmaforthe male headmasterof aprimaryschool.
 An increase inroll numbersmayhave beenregardedas beneficial tosome smallerschoolsthat
mightotherwise be headedforclosure due tofallingnumbers.
 There were some misgivingsfromparentsof existingstudentsthatthiswouldbe detrimental to
theirchildren,academicallyandsocially,asmanynew arrivalswere notaccustomedtorural
living.Thishasbeenreferredtoas anticipatedanxiety.Schoolsactivelyengagednew arrivalsand
while there were some issues,mostreported the experience provededucational forbothnew
and existingpupils.

16
6.1.3 Medical services
It isoutside the scope of thisreportto outline the complex andoverlappingrolesbetweenthe medical
and social services,particularlyin the areaof mental healthcare.The intermediaryorganisationbetween
the CanterburyDistrictHealthBoardand clinics inthe Hurunui isthe Rural CanterburyPrimaryHealth
Organisation(RCPHO).While the RCPHO offeredassistance immediatelyafterthe earthquakes andwere
able to provide,forexample,adoctorforHanmer Springsclinicsoonafterthe February22 quake,most
clinicsandmedical centres copedby, “…makingdousingourownlocal resources”.
 The greatestimpactwas in Hanmer Springs where alarge numberof internallydisplacedpeople
fled, particularlyfollowingthe February22quake,resultingin:“…rapidlydepletedmedical
suppliesofall kind, whichcouldnot be resupplied;we desperately needed a courier service
from suppliersother thanChristchurch—weneeded a helicopterdrop. Staff were stressed,
regular patientsmissedout entirely; we needed andstill need point ofcare testing such as
bloodservices. We have the capability butwe don'thave the funding.”
 The bulkof internallydisplacedpeople have since left HanmerSprings;currently thereisa5%
increase inregisteredpatients.
 All otherwardsexperiencedaslightincreaseindemandforservicesimmediately followingthe
22 Februaryquake.Byand large thishas returnedtonormal howeveritshouldbe notedthat
‘normal’inmanyinstancesismarginal.
 The gap continuestowiden betweenneedsversusprovision,inall wardstodifferentdegrees,
exacerbatedby insufficientrecognitionand supportfromthe RCPHO. Intermsof mental health
care inthe Hurunui,responsesbythe RCPHO to surveyquestions were asfollows:
“There is no increase indemand forservices in North Canterbury.”
“Ourprevious involvementwasin relationto Latin Americandairy workers and isolation;that
has nowbeen taken upby local groups. Thingshave gonequiet in NorthCanterbury. We have
had noreferrals from Hurunui clinics;we havebeen totallyinvolvedinSouth Canterbury.”
“The biggestissue inthe Hurunui,whichis ongoing,isthe dislocationfrompeople'susual
supportservices includingfamiliarfriendsandfamilysupportaswell asinstitutional support.
People are makingpoor decisionstomove to isolatedareasbased on fear ofquakes and lossof
homes,unableto affordanythingcloserto Christchurchor Kaiapoi.”
“There’s alwaysbeen stress in communities;the earthquakesare just something for people to
blame.”
6.1.4 Social services
Quantitative datadoesnottell the entire storybecause telephoneinquires,referralstootheragencies,
and an inabilitytoservice all calls andreferrals are notalwaysrecorded(see the finalpointin 4.2.1.1
Somestakeholderswereunableto providerelevant information). Thisisparticularlytrue forthose
organisationswhose officeswere destroyedinthe earthquakes.Individualsworkedoutof theirvehicles,
respondingtoneedswithout necessarily recordingdata. Insome instancesdatahasbeenpermanently
lost.Thishas preventedadirectcomparisonbetween the pre-andpost-quakesdemandsontheir
services,andcurrentdemands.The consensusamongstvirtuallyall agenciesisthattheyhave toofew
resourcesandthe needisgrowing.Forexample, WellbeingNorthCanterbury,whichservesasan
umbrellaorganisationforseveral butbynomeansall NorthCanterbury services,stated:

17
“Servicesare stretched especiallyin the Hurunui.We are in need of a vehicle to reach that area,
a full time drug andalcohol interventionworker, and coulddo withtwo more social service
workers.”
Providersare acutelyaware of the insidiousnature of stressandfamilywellbeingissues,where thosein
needare oftenunlikelytoactivelyseek directassistance oradvice,andwhere the earlyindicatorsfor
stress,particularlyinrural communities,oftengo unnoticed. The Mental HealthFoundation,whichis
currentlyrunningthe ‘All Right’campaign,are underfundedandunder-resourcedtoservice the Hurunui;
the focusremainscentredonthe CERA zone. Theyare acutely aware of an increase incall forservices
fromotherhost communitiesincludingAshburtonandTimaru,bothof whichexperiencedphysical
damage fromthe quakes,andNelsonandthe WestCoast.Like the Hurunui,all of these communities
have takenin internally displacedpeople.
The most pressingneedsare drug and alcohol, agedcare servicesincludingfundingtotrain local
volunteers,and crucially, a growingneedfor additional mental healthcare services inareas outside the
CERA zone.
6.1.5 NGOS and volunteer organisations based in the Hurunui
While there wasa small increase indemandinitially, thisquicklytaperedoff until demandisnow less
than pre-quakes. Potential volunteersare frustratedby governmentregulationsthatdeemthem
untrainedandtherefore unsuitable toassistintheirowncommunities.
“Wishwe hadmore capabilityto helpbut many peoplewantingto volunteer unwillingtobegin
trainingonlyto be told they are not suitable.”
In effecttheyare key community resourcesthat have largely beensidelined.
6.1.6 Police
As an organisationthe police are experiencingchronicshortfallsinresources,andwhile membersof the
force were amongstfront-linerespondersinthe CERA zone, they have notbeenofferedcounsellingor
support. InCulverden,the only4x4vehicle wastakentoChristchurch,leavingthe rural community
withouta keyasset.
In termsof crime,some wardsexperiencedanincrease followingthe earthquakes,howeverthiswasdue
almostentirelytotransientsandshort-termarrivals.InAmberleyforexample,a30% increase incrime
was attributedtojustone transientfamily. Thisdoesnotmeantodownplaythe impactonthe
community. InHanmerSprings, reported crime droppedimmediatelyafterthe quakes,withsubsequent
spikesattributed almostentirelytotransients with“too much money fromearthquakepayouts,spending
it on alcohol”. Some wards continue toexperience drugandalcohol problems.
There are (onaverage) dailyreports of familyviolence fromthe Hurunui District.
6.1.7 Real Estate Agents
Real estate agents substantiate whatiscommonlyunderstood:there isasevere shortage of housingin
the districtto accommodate the needsof rentersandbuyersalike.
In HanmerSprings,there wasan initial ‘kneejerk’reactionfrompotential buyers whovieweditasan
alternative tolivinginChristchurch.Enquiresdidnotturnintosuddendemandforsales,however,as

18
withinmonths peoplebeganto realisticallyappraise the optionof livinginHanmerSprings and
commutingtoChristchurch. Thisisalso reflectedindemandforholiday rentals,whichshoweda
temporaryblipthatsoondeclinedtonormal ornear normal forthe time of year.While some Hanmer
Springsagentsnowreportenquiresare ‘quieterthantheyhave beenfor30 years’,othersare seeinga
spike inenquiresforinvestmentpropertiesand‘bolt-holes’fromChristchurch-baseddevelopers,
builders,andpeopleinthe buildingindustrylookingtospreadtheirinvestmentportfolio.
In coastal areas potentiallyaffectedbyliquefactionsuchasAmberleyBeachandLeithfield Beach,
purchasingpropertyismostlyalifestyle considerationthatappearstooutweighknownandpotential
concerns(includingtsunamisandbeacherosion).Insurance,while itcanbe more difficulttoobtain,is
‘notinsurmountable’. The trend amongstpeoplefromthe CERA zone isthat these areasare within
reasonable commutingdistance of workandtherefore apreviousholidayrentalmaybe viewedasa
realisticpermanenthome.
6.2 Group B
The online surveyprovided quantitative datafromclosedquestionsandqualitativedatafromopen-
endedquestions.While the quantitativedata gave useful informationintermsof demographics, the
qualitative datawasthe mostinformative intermsof the non-structural impactsof the earthquakes;that
is,the effects,bothpositiveandnegative,onpeople’slives.
Where theysurveywasconductedbythe communitydevelopmentadvisorinlibrariesandservice
centres,participantsfrequentlyexpressedgratitude that‘someone wasfinallytakingnotice of the issues
inour district’.There were numerousinstanceswhere peopledidnotwantto undertake the surveybut
didwishto talkabouttheirexperiences,particularly asa group.Thisalmostalwaysledtoa discussion
abouttheirsituationandexperiences,often endingwithcommentssuchas,‘Ifeel somuchbetter
knowingI’mnotthe onlyone whofeelsthisway.’
These sessionsprovedparticularlyvaluable ingatheringinformationthatmightotherwisenothave
appearedinthe online survey,includingreasonswhy some questionswereskippedornoranswered.
6.2.1 Employment
In bothgroups,several respondentsstatedtheyorothermembersof theirhousehold lostjobsorplaces
of workdue to the quakes.One respondentisstill unemployed.One losttheir(Christchurchbased)
tourismbusinessandislivingon “…oursmallholding until we retire”. All othershave since foundjobsor
returnedtotheiroriginal jobsorworkplace.
6.2.2 Ward demographics
Two hundredandtwentythree householdsresponded tothe online survey,of which217 currentlylive in
the district. Of these,the largestnumberof households (62%) were inthe AmberleyWardandthe
smallest(3.8%) were inHanmerSpringsWard (Fig5). Fourhouseholds didnotspecify theirward.Based
on face-to-face surveysthis maybe because new arrivalstothe districtare unsure of wardboundaries.
There isalso confusion indistinguishingthe Hurunui Ward fromthe Hurunui District.Thismay explain
why a relative large percentage statedtheirhouseholdis the Hurunui Ward.

19
Fig 5. Group B ward demographics
6.2.3 Resident demographics
One hundredandsixtytwo (75.93%) respondentslivedinHurunui Districtpriortothe earthquakes
(GroupB1) while 39 (24.07%) respondents movedtothe districtfollowingthe earthquakes(GroupB2)
(Fig.6). A significantnumber(61people) declinedtoanswerthisquestion.Basedonface-to-face surveys
and interviews,therewere several reasonsforthis:
 There wasa strongdesire amongstresidentswhodonotlive inthe Hurunui Districtfull time, but
whoown holidayhomesorbachesinthe area,particularlyaroundAmberleyandLeithfield
Beaches,toundertake the survey
 Several respondentsstatedtheyspentaround50% of theirtime betweenChristchurchand
Amberleyandregardedbothastheirnormal place of residence
 Some movedtothe districtbetweenearthquakes,andwere uncertainhow toanswer
 Some declinedtostate eitherway. Duringgroup discussionsandface-to-face interviews itwas
revealedthatsome didnotwishtobe identifiedas‘new arrivals’or‘outsiders’
o Some inthisgroup identifiedthemselvesasreturningresidents,eitherhavinggrownup
inthe districtorwithstrong familial ties,returningtothe ‘familyhome’
Fig 6. Lived inHurunui prior to the earthquakes

20
6.2.4 Household demographic
Fig 7 showshowhouseholddemographicshave changedsincethe earthquakes.Closerexaminationof
the raw data indicatesasignificantreductioninthe 60-69 age group isreflectedinpartin by thisage
groupenteringthe 70+ groupsince 2010, ratherthan a movementoutof the area. Generally,household
populationsdroppedslightlyinwardsexceptHanmerSpringsandAmberleyWards,where there has
beenan overall increase inthe numberof people andgenerations livingineachhousehold.
Closerinspectionof the rawdata in AmberleyWard,whichdominatesthe trendsinthe databyvirtue of
being62% of respondenthouseholds, suggeststhere are three primaryreasonsforthistrend:
 Shortage of housingeverywhere;youngerpeople (20-29) returnedtothe familyhome
 WaitingforEQC settlementorhouse tobe built
 Preferthe securityof beingtogether (particularlythose withchildrenandthe 70+ age group)
Fig 7. Changes to household demographics following the earthquakes

21
6.2.5 Group B1 people living in the district prior tothe earthquakes and still living in the
district
A large percentage of GroupB1 whofelttheywere unaffectedbythe quakeswere less likelytorespond,
potentially biasingthe data.
While the magnitude of physical damage wasnotaswidespreadinthe Hurunui, the majorityof
respondentswhomade claimswere eitherveryorextremelyunhappywithEQC.Throughthe online
surveyandin communitymeetings,it appearsthatthose whowere happyorsatisfied withEQCmade
claimsimmediately followingthe September2010 quake.The data on thisis verylimited andlargely
anecdotal,however.
Emotional andpsychological impactswereandinmany casescontinue tobe deepandwide ranging,
compoundedinsome instancesbyfinancial concerns andongoingdealingwithEQC.The lossof Rangiora
as a market hubhas come as a secondaryblow to some sectors.
“EQCdisregarded damageto our home toldus Hurunui was not affected. The assessorwas
dismissiveofus.”
“After initial contactin2011 [fromEQC], haveheard nothingsince, noletter, no phonecall,
nothing.”
“Werealise others were muchworse off, andwe'd need to wait our turn. Wouldhavebeen
goodto have had some personal communication(notjustthe general newsletter whichdidn't
really tell us anything) aboutwhat wasto happen,anda time framework.”
“I understandothers have priorities.”
“Wedidn’tput in a claimbecause we couldfix the damageourselves andothers were far worse
off.We’ve just hadthe housepaintedand it looksfantastic.”
 There were 3,400 buildingclaimsandabout200 land claims
 Some didnot claimfordamagesbecause theydonot feel morallyentitled
 Some were toldbyEQC inspectorstheywere notentitledbecausetheyare outside the CERA
zone
 Most are more aware of communityspirit
 Most feel the districthasshownresiliency
 Most feel the districthaschangedinsome ways,andthe majorityeitherhave eithernoopinion
aboutthisor regardthese changesaspositive
 Initial concerns aboutinternallydisplacedpeople movingtothe areacentredaround an increase
inthe size of classesinschools,increase inpressureonalreadyover-taxedresources,services,
and suppliesincludingfuel,food,andmedical services.Thiswasfollowedbyconcerns about
security,theft,andvandalism
 Those that feel the changes tothe districtinthe last twoyears have been negative,are largely
concernedwith
o Additional roadtraffic, particularlyonunsealedroads,oftenignoringspeedlimitssuch
for example atLeithfieldBeach
o Dilutionof the sense of communityinAmberley
o Increasedfearof personal safety(particularlyamongstthe elderlyandthose livingalone)
o Increased fearof theftandvandalism,particularlytheftinrural areas
Justover44% responded‘yes’tothe surveyquestion,‘Doyoufeel the qualityof youliveshaschangedin
any waysince the earthquakes?’.While manyfelttheywere personallyunaffected,inone-on-one
interviews,discussionswithcommunitygroups,andinsome onlinerepliesthisstatementwasfrequently

22
qualifiedby‘but’.These ‘buts’revolvearoundthe following interlinkedthemes,mostlyconnectedtothe
February22 quake:
 UnsatisfactorydealingwithEQC;mostbutnot all respondentsweresatisfiedorhappywiththeir
insurance providers
 Were presentinChristchurchwhenthe Februaryquake struck;still traumatised
 Lost friendsand/orfamilymembers inthe quake
 Childrenathome leftwonderingif parents/siblingsinChristchurchwere dead
 Fear thatchildren/siblingsboardinginChristchurchschoolsand/orparentsworkingthere may
not come home
 A powerful sensetheydon’tmatterasmuchas people livinginside the CERA zone,compounded
by guiltbecause theyare notas badlyoff
 Familyorfriendsstill livingin‘thirdworldconditions’evokesstrongfeelingsof sympathy,guilt,
and an unwillingnesstocomplainabouttheirownearthquake relatedissues
 Financial concerns
 Fear of an approachingwinter whilelivinginadamagedhome
 Reducedaccessto medical care inChristchurchdue to lackof parkingandinabilitytonavigate
unfamiliarstreets,compoundinganxietyaboutseekingmedical helpforotherissues
 Fear of closingfrontdoorsat night,fearof beingalone,lessconfidence,more argumentswith
familymembers,lesscertaintyaboutthe future,greaterstress-inducedsecondarymedical
conditions
 The desire tomove forwardtemperedbythe inescapable knowledge thatanotherlarge
earthquake couldstrike atanymoment
“Very upset all the time because nothingishappeningwithmy home. My friendsare all elderly
and they are upset and nobodyseems to care. We have no supportor help from healthcare
they don'tunderstandabout mental health. I worked in mental health foryears and the
situationwiththe elderly here [inAmberley Ward]is badand that makes me unhappyand
upset. There doesnot seem to be any positivefuture.”
“Longer to get anywhere; more traffic; more difficulttoget onto mainroad; not manysafe
opportunitiestoovertake; changedmedical services [in Amberley] (not necessarilyattributable
to the earthquakes).”
“I feel very nervous all the time about lotsof things.”
“I’mworried aboutmy daughter andgrandchildrenandthe effects ontheir lives.Some have
ongoingmedical conditions,othersoutof work. Affects my outlookonlife andthis worsens my
own medical concerns.Hard to remainpositivewhen everything is crashingdownaroundyou.”
The fewpositive responsestothisquestioninclude:
 Greaterself-relianceandresiliencyand/orthe needtobe preparedfordisasters.Insome cases
the needto have a ‘bolt-hole’,forexampleasecondhome inHanmerSprings
 Greatersense of communityandneedtolookout forone another
 Where people activelysoughtoutmental healthcare,theywere verypleasedwiththe outcome
 More workopportunities
“Wealwaysgo to bed ready to leave the houseat short notice, keep foodin store and extra
water in the pantry.”
“Mental Health Service througha local doctorand HilmortonHospital were brilliant.”
“Excellentsupport,service, and counselling fromthe Red Cross.”
“Availabilityofwork hasdramaticallyincreased.

23
6.2.6 Group B2: Internally displaced people who moved intothe Hurunui District following the
earthquakes
“The worldwe knew has disappeared.”
 95% movedtothe Hurunui as a director indirectresultof the earthquakes
 Most expressed gratitudeforthe waytheywere welcomedintothe community
 13.5% movedbecause housingwasaffordable
 8.1% movedbecause accommodationhere wasall thatwasavailable
 10.9% foundworkinthe Hurunui or Waimakariri Districts
 10.8% retiredhere
 83.78% wish to staywhile 10.81% are unsure
“The counsellingIreceived once I [arrivedin the Hurunui]helped me totally. I have turned my
whole lifearoundfor the better.”
“Don'tget any help fromanybodyat all.The whole systemis a con.”
“Red Crossand WINZwere excellent inprovidinginitial financial supportthattook some ofthe
stress away frombeing out ofour home, school,community. It allowedusto recover more quickly
as we couldleave the area and hadsome mental space, and time, to decidewhat to do next. EQC
have been very difficulttodeal with.”
“Mypartner tried the Winsofficein Kaiapoi after22 Feb Quake lefthim strandedin Christchurch,to
no avail.”
“The rudest I have ever been treated inmy life by WINZinKaiapoi.”
To the question,‘Doyoufeel the qualityof youliveshaschangedinanyway since the earthquakes?’
86.49% responded‘yes’.
 Most but not all regardthisas positive move intoamuchlessstressful environmentwitha
significantlyimprovedqualityof life.
 Thisimprovementhasoftenbeentemperedbyone of more factorssuchas:
o reducedincome
o increasedtransportcosts
o isolation
o schoolswithfewerresources andlimitedcurriculum
o disconnectedfromprevioussupportmechanisms11
o beingbulliedinto compliance bygovernmentbodies
o continuedfrustrationwithEQC
“AwesomeInsurance company… EQC - totallyincompetent…reimbursedthewrong person andthen
accused my bankof takingthe money.Fightingthem came at a cost as the stress was enormous.I
gave up my job,sold,and movedto [a rural town inthe Hurunui].”
“Myson couldnot adaptto enteringCanterbury Uni classesafter the quake...He failedhisfirst
year. (He wasthe top studentin hisfinal school year in hisschool).”
11 Not necessarilyinstitutional or organisational, rather theyinclude family, friends, neighbours, workmates, schoolmates, so cial
and communitygroups, and familiar commercialand recreationalservice providers.

24
“[Hurunui is] unbelievablyexpensivearea to stay in.Very high rates with virtuallyzeroservices.
Stupidregulationswithzillionsofstupidlawsthat make no sense. Probablyjustthe firststages of a
truly Communistcountry.”
“Animprovement it'sfantastic.”
“Yes,improved,livingrurallyinHurunui isbetter than suburbanChristchurch.”
“BIG improvement.We don'tfeel the shakesany more, the sense is more focussedon other things
(peopleout here don'tstart conversationswithtalk aboutthe latestaftershocks!) and the roads are
smoother!”
“Wehave moved awayfrom both familyandfriendsalthoughmanyof them have alsohadto move
to other areas as well. I get very lonelyat times andsometimes feel depressed andanxious.”
“Ina positiveway. We've gonethrough a lotbut we feel deep insidehow luckywe all are!”
“Ina very goodway, we love the area andhow friendlyeveryone is, andeveryone hasbeen very
eager to helpus.”
“Wedon'ttake thingsfor grantedlike we usedto. Always have cell phonescharged up, spare fuel,
alwayskeep pantryfull of foodin case ofemergencies.”
“Waittimefor services such as dental nurse, doctors,specialists,special educationre childrenetc is
delayedby about 18 months.”

25
7.0 Discussion
The purpose of thisreport wasto collectdata inorderto map and analyse the non-structural impactsof
the earthquakesonthe district. Atthe beginningisaquote thatencapsulatesthe findingssowell thatit
bearsrepeating:
A disaster isa sudden,calamitousevent that causes seriousdisruptionofthe functioningofa
communityor a society causingwidespreadhuman,material,economicand/orenvironmental
lossesthat exceed the abilityofthe affectedcommunityor society to cope usingits own level of
resources.12
7.1 Defining earthquake affected areas
“A lotof damagedproperty in the Hurunui District.”
The Canterbury EarthquakeRecovery Act2011 was a legislative responsetoanatural disaster. The area
coveredby CERA wasdefinedusing council boundariesasamanagementtool.Insodoingit effectively
excludedareasthatwere also,bythe above definition,affectedby the same natural disaster.The
disasterinthese areaswasnot as large or as headline grabbing,butonan individual aswell as
organisationlevel itwasnonethelessveryreal forsectors bothwithin the Hurunui District and
organisationsmandatedand/orfundedtoservice the district.Lossesexceededthe abilityof some,albeit
not all people, schools, andmedical clinicstocope usingtheirown resources.
This highlightsa fundamental flaw in usingdistrict boundariesrather than physical geographic
assessmentsas managementtools to determine the degree to whichan area is affectedby a natural
disaster.
External andoftencentralisedprovidersthatpeople inthe district would normallyturntofor assistance
such as social service andhealthcare providers,were basedinthe CERA zone andoverwhelmedbya
disasterof greatermagnitude.
This highlightsthe flawedassumption that centralisingkey servicesunderthe guise ofoptimisingthem
is both cost effective andsociallysustainable.In realitythis makes themand the rural communities
they service more vulnerable because it disempowersthem.By the above definitionit setsthem up for
disaster.
“We are capable butwe don’thave the funding.” –Hanmer SpringsMedical Centre
For some inthe Hurunui the disasterisongoing,andit’swearingthemdown. Neverthelessthey have
beeninformed,eitherdirectlyorthroughtheirexclusionfromprocessesdesignedtoassist those inthe
CERA zone,thattheyhave not beenaffected.Because the Hurunui isoutsidethe CERA zone,it was
administrativelyexcisedfrombeingregardedas anearthquake-effectedarea.Once thisoccurred,the
mindsetof external providersfollowed the same circularreasoning:the Hurunui isnotinside the CERA
zone,ergo,the Hurunui wasnot affectedbythe earthquakes.
7.2 Impacts on the Hurunui District
People in urbancommunitieshave certainexpectationsthat awide range of readilyaccessibleservices
will be availabletothemwhenneeded.Consequently theyare more likelyto activelyseek outthese
serviceswhenneeded. Rural communities are made up of smallerdecentralisedpopulations.Economies
of scale mean fewerservices separatedby greaterdistances.Thisleadsrural communitiestodevelop
12 UN/ISDR, Terminology:Basic Terms of Disaster RiskReduction, March 31, 2004.

26
greaterself-reliance—atleastinthe shortterm—tonatural disasters.Anunderstatedpride comeswith
that attribute butthis can alsowork againstthem, causingthemto suppressorignore theirneeds:‘we
countrypeople are bredtoughand therefore we won’tseekhelp unlesswe’re draggedintoitkickingand
screaming’.
The Hurunui Districtis a largelyrural community. People livinginthe district have beeninformed either
directlyorsublimely throughmanymechanisms—friends,family,colleagues, the media,government,and
NGOs—thatpeople inthe CERA zone are ingreaterneed.Some feel the addedweightof helplessness
and distressonbehalf of friendsand familywhoare ‘livinginthirdworldconditions’and/orare
‘financiallydevastated’.Thiscompounds theirfeelingof guilt,reinforcedbythe belief theydonothave a
rightto complainbecause they are not‘inthe zone’.To seekhelpwould take fromotherswhoare more
deserving. Andsotheirneedsare sublimated.They don’tmake the call to whatever0800 numberhas
beensetup to offerassistance,reinforcingandvalidatingthe belief amongstsome service providersthat
the Hurunui was notaffected. Thismaybe furtherbiasedbythe propensityof some serviceproviders to
foldHurunui dataintogeneric‘NorthCanterbury’ data.Thisrisksleadingtoa flawedassumptionthat
earthquake-relatedissuesarisingfrom‘NorthCanterbury’have originatedfrom the Waimakariri District,
because this wasthe onlyNorthCanterburyDistrict (asdefinedbyCERA) tobe affectedbythe
earthquakes.Thisisacritical issue forthe Hurunui,particularlywhenitcomestofunding servicestothis
district.Certainly,Hurunuispecific-datamostlikelyexists,butthere’snoguarantee the decision-makers
will see it.
On the positive side, the majorityof people andorganisationsinthe Hurunui were largelyunaffectedor
were able tocope usingtheirownor external resources. Thisisalsotrue formanypeople whomoved
here fromthe CERA zone:
“Builtnew house in[Amberley Ward],friendlycaringcommunity.A council intouch with its
people (totallyoppositetoW.D.C.,who appear to 'fight' theirpeople).Semi rural atmosphere,
cleaner environment(no graffiti,rubbishetc.)...LOVEIT!!!”
“Thingshavereally improvedfor us. Our businessis going well,we are earninggoodmoney,
we have builtour own home.”
Thisis alsotrue for the Council andmost butnot all schools.Many individualsandfamilieshave learned
to cope usinga varietyof mechanismsandresources,andare ‘justgettingonwithit’.
“Weare not ‘happy’withthe way thingsare for usnow, we are justgetting on withit; noother
choice.”
Some internallydisplacedpeople finditdifficulttoadaptto the absence of services,reducedoptionsin
the school curriculum,fewerjobs, andgreater(andhence more costly) distancestotravel forservices.
A note of caution:according to leadingpsychologists(recognisedbyCDHBintheir‘All Right’campaign)
the thirdyear followingadisasteristhe mostpsychologicallydangerous13
.We are now inthe thirdyear.
Residentsof communitiesof lessthan2,500 are more likelytoexperience higherlevelsof stressthan
eventhatof farmers,which are already recognisedtobe athigherriskof depressionandsuicide than
those livingincities14
.Nosingle community inthe Hurunui hasa populationthatexceeds2,500 people.
Amberley,the largesttown,hadonly1,302 people before the earthquakes15
.While itisgrowing,ithas
not doubledinsize.
13 For example Gordon(2012).
14 For example Hoyt et al (2010).
15 2006 Census data.

27
Followingthe surveyandresearchcompliedforthisreport;a medical practice managerwas askedif they
were seeingsignsof stressinthe community.The answerwasa resounding, “Yes!”Whenaskedhowthis
was showingupclinically,the manager wasunable toarticulate.Ananalogyhasbeendrawntocatching
thicksmoke witha butterflynet.Youcansee it,you know it’sthere,butit’sverydifficulttodefine.
Stressoftenonlymanifeststhroughaberrantsocial behavioursuchasbullying,alcohol anddrugissues,
relationship breakdowns andfamilyviolence,andreducedqualityof life.Itdoesnotalwaysmanifestas
specifichealthconditionsthatleadtoa trip to the local doctor or clinic.Itis these issues,notastatistical
absence in referrals tomental healthcare services,orcallsonthe variousearthquake andmental health
care hotlines,whichwill,leftunaddressedbya shortfall in propersupportof primaryhealthcare
practitioners andrural social services, ultimately leadtosecondaryandoftenlessvisibledisasters.
ResearchbyCanterburyUniversityinrural areas(primarilybutnotexclusivelyin the CERA zone) shows
that ratherthan decreasingovertime,stressis the greatestchallengeforbothfarmingandnon-farming
(businesses)overthe longterm (Figs8 and9). Social workersbasedin towns sixtyora hundred
kilometresaway have little understandingof the contextual needsof differentrural settings.Evenwhen
theirservicesare requested,providers suchasWellbeingNorthCanterbury lackfunding,qualified
personnel,andtransporttoreachthese areas regularlyif atall. Referringthose inneedtocentralised
placesintownbringswithitadditional stresses.Theydo notalwayshave the time or wherewithal to
navigate the unfamiliarlandscape of post-quake Christchurchandlocate expensive parkingoftena
kilometre ormore fromthe hospital.One surveyrespondentsufferedananginaduringsucha walk.
Lack of fundingisalsotrue for organisations thatservice the elderlypopulation,suchasAgedConcern
and Alzheimer’sNewZealand thatassistsfamiliesandcaregiversaswell asthose withdementia.Given
the disproportionatelyhighpopulationof elderlypeople inthe Hurunui,particularlyAmberleyWard,this
isof great concern.
Fig 8. Challengesaffectingfarmrecovery followingthe Canterbury earthquake sequence (from
Whitman,2013). Stressis a major componentboth in the short and significantly,increasesinthe long
term.

28
Fig 9. Challengesaffectingnon-farmingrecoveryfollowingthe Canterburyearthquake sequence (from
Whitman,2013). Again,not the significantincrease in stresslong term.
“Wehad a huge influxofcampervansto Waiauofwhicha lotstayed. Local stores andgas
stationsalmostand/ordidrun out of suppliesas they waited on supplytrucks to arrive via Chc
(I thinkit took a week at which they hadto travel SH1 then Leader Rd). For local shearing
contractors andtheir workers, it could'vebeen disastroushadit not been forthem talkingwith
their preferred gas suppliersto reserve some of the petrol for their vansin order to continue to
send their workers out shearing.
Alsoof concern,particularlyamongstthe elderlyandlow income earners,isthe prospectof another
winterlivinginabroken home thathas beenassessedasnotaffectedbythe earthquakes,ornot
assessedatall. Buckledfloorsandcrookedsteps pose a‘one mis-stepawayfromabrokenhip’ potential
personal disasterleadingtocostlymedical services.
A positive aspectof the survey revealedthatthe Hurunui District mighthave greatercapacity that was
realised, torespondto short-termlocal needsfollowingadisaster.Forexample, organisationssuchasthe
Lionsmay have beenina positionto offersome assistance whenHanmerSpringsMedical Centre needed
‘a helicoptersupplydrop’.Yetthisalsohighlightsthe shortfallsinthe currentsystemof notmaximising
local capacity.
Thiscouldbe addressed inall wards throughrobustcommunity-leddevelopmentprogrammes thatplace
greateremphasisonconnectingexistingcommunitygroups.Communitygroupsthatare aware of each
other’srolesinthe communitymaximise theireffectivenessbypreventing‘doublingup’of services and
eventsrunon the same day, and competitionforresources,whichcouldinmanyinstancesbe shared.
In a communitywithalowpopulationsuchas existsinthe Hurunui District,there isanexceptionallyhigh
degree of political awareness.The recentremoval of the phase 'well beingof the community' fromthe
Local GovernmentAct hasdeeply concernedmany,fortheirwellbeinghasalreadybeenseverely
compromised.Membersof the local governmenthave wideanddeepties,oftengenerational ties tothe
communitythey represent,andthe wellbeingof theircommunityisatthe forefrontof theirminds.There
isa perceptionthatthathas nowbeenlegislativelycompromised.Thisemphasizesthe needtofocuslocal
resourcesintocommunity-ledprojects ratherthan dependingon council todevelop communityprojects.

29
7.3 Summary
In sum,the surveyshowsthatthe effects onpeople displacedbythe earthquakes whohave movedtothe
Hurunui Districthas notbe factoredintothe governmentresponse.Thisisparticularlyapparentin—
 AmberleyWardwhere relativelycheaperhousinghasandcontinuestoattract an elderly
populationdisconnectedfromtheirusual supportmechanisms.The negativeimpactsof this
cannot alwaysbe quantifiedthrough social andmedical service providers
 HanmerSpringsWard where healthcare facilities andstaff couldnotadequately dealwiththe
suddeninflux of internallydisplacedpeople
Social service providersandNGOsdependentinparton governmentand/orCDHB (RCPHO) fundingare
under-resourcedandcannotproperlyservice the Hurunui District.Specificshortfallsare inthe provision
of alcohol anddrug intervention, mental health,andagedcare services inthe Hurunui District,
particularlyinAmberley,andfundingtotrain local volunteers.Thereare strongindicationsthisshortfallis
gettingworse.
While mostindividualsandfamilieshave eitherbeenunaffectedbyorhave copedwiththe aftermathof
the earthquakes, many are not.Thisis exacerbatedby feelingstheydon’tmatterasmuchas those within
the CERA zone.Thisisfurthercompoundedbythe belief theyhave no(moral) righttocomplainorseek
help.Thisismostnotable amongstthe elderlyandthose whohave movedtothe districtandhave been
cut off from theirprevioussupport mechanisms.

30
8.0 Recommendations
It isrecommendedthat:
 Greaterrecognition andassistance bythe RCPHO of the issuescurrently facedbymedical clinics
 Greaterfundingforexistentbutunder-resourcedsocial services providers mandatedtoservice
the Hurunui
 Greaterempowermentof andmore investmentinrural communityorganisations,forexample
trusts,to rapidly identifyandrespondtolocal needs ratherthancentralisingcore servicesin
urban areas where economiesof scale resultinrural areasbeingsidelined.Thisisparticularly
crucial followingadisaster,toensure anadequate andcosteffectiveresponse inthe shortterm
and rapidand cost effective recoverylongterm.Thisisbornoutby recentresearchinother
earthquake-affectedrural communities16
 Specificneedsare inthe areaof drug and alcohol intervention,elderlyservicesparticularlyinthe
AmberleyWard,andcrucially,mental healthcare services. Failure toaddressthissoonwill
ultimatelyplace anunsustainable cost-burdenonhealth care,social service,andwelfare systems.
Ultimatelythe communityasawhole will suffer
 Government-level recognitionof the critical role playedbyhostcommunitiesfollowingdisasters
 Furtherresearchbe undertakentodevelopadequate preparationandappropriate response
strategiesforcommunitiesthat fall outsidepolitically-definedmanagementboundariessuchas
those usedunderthe Canterbury EarthquakeRecovery Act2011
Finally, whatevershortcomingsthere maybe intermsof services,theystemfrompolicyand institutional
frameworks.These shortcomingsare magnifiedwhen key‘people’services are centralisedinlargerurban
environments. Manydedicated individuals intheseorganisations are passionateabout rebuildingthe
livesand communities shattered bythe Canterburyearthquakes.Itisoftenvery difficultunderthose
circumstancesto pause and reflect.Theyhave done anamazingjob—andthatneedstobe recognised—
and lessonsare beinglearned.Toensure atrulysustainable futurethose lessonsnow needtobe applied.
The current approachis not sustainablebecause itsidelines the role thatcommunityorganisations playin
response andrecovery. AsresearchfromCanterburyUniversityshows,communitydevelopmentinthese
areas iscrucial:
 Communitydrivenevents
 Socializingeventsinpeacetimeaswell asafteran eventto—
 Strengthen networks leadingtostrongerandultimatelymore resilient rural communities17
.
16 Chan (2013).
17 Whitman (2013).

31
9.0 References
AccountAbility(2005) StakeholderEngagementStandard:Exposuredraft,AccountAbility,London,UK.
Arnstein SR(1969) A Ladder of CitizenParticipation, Journalof theAmerican Instituteof Planners,vol.35,
no.4, pp.216-224.
AslinHJand VA Brown (2004) Towardswholeof community engagement:a practicaltoolkit.Murray
DarlingBasinCommission,Canberra.
Blanchard W (2007) Guide to emergency managementand related termsand definitionsconcepts,
acronyms,organisations,planning,programs,guidance&legislation.Viewed13February 2013
http://training.fema.gov
Brookings-LSEProjectonInternal Displacement http://www.brookings.edu/about/projects/idp/research
Chan EYY (2013) Bottom-updisasterresilience.NatureGeoscience vol.6,pp327-328, 29 April 2013
doi:10.1038/ngeo1815
CanterburyEarthquake RecoveryAuthority(CERA) (2012):WellbeingSurveyGoesOnline.Releasedate 15
October,2012. Viewed18October,2012, http://cera.govt.nz/news/2012/wellbeing-survey-goes-online-
15-october-2012
CharmanK and K Keith(2000) Communityconsultation techniques:purposes,processesand pitfalls:a
guidefor plannersand facilitators,QueenslandDepartmentof PrimaryIndustries,Brisbane.
DESA (2006) Participatory Governanceand theMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MGDs),UnitedNations
Departmentof Economicand Social Affairs,New York.
GaleaS, Nandi A and D Viahov (2004) The Epidemiologyof post-traumaticstressdisorderand disasters.
Epidemiology Reviews vol.27, pp78-91, JohnHopkinsBloombergSchool of PublicHealth.
Gordon R (2012). RedCrossseminarondisasterstress;Kaiapoi,26October2012.
Hurunui DistrictCouncil, Hurunuifasttracksearthquakerelated consents,viewed08 December2012.
http://www.hurunui.govt.nz/news-and-views/council-news/hurunui-fast-tracks-earthquake-related-
consents
Hoyt D, O’Donnel DandK Mack (1995) Psychological distressand size of place:the epidemiologyof rural
economicstress.RuralSociology vol. 60, issue 4,pp 707-720. DOI: 10.1111/j.1549-0831.1995.tb00602.x
Kricket al (2005) The StakeholderEngagementManual Volume2
http://www.accountability.org/images/content/2/0/208.pdf
Miller,A (1999) Environmentalproblemsolving:psychosocialbarriersto adaptivechange,Springer,New
York.
Mitchell RK,Agle BRand DJ Wood (1997) Towarda theoryof stakeholderidentificationandsalience:
definingthe principleof whoandwhatreallycounts, Academy of ManagementReview,vol.22,no.4, pp.
853-886.
Morrissey SA and JP Reser(2007) Natural disasters,climate change andmental healthconsiderationsfor
rural Australia. Australian Journalof RuralHealth,vol 15, pp120-125. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-
1584.2007.00865.x

32
NeriaY, Nandi A,and S Galea(2008) Post-traumaticstressdisorderfollowingdisasters:asystematic
review. PsychologicalMedicine,vol 3,pp 467–480. DOI:10.1017/S0033291707001353
NewZealandRedCross (2013) CanterburyEarthquake RecoveryUpdate February2013. Viewed22
February22 2013 https://www.redcross.org.nz/
RamirezR (1999) Chapter5: Stakeholderanalysisandconflictmanagement,inDBuckles(ed), Cultivating
Peace:Conflict and Collaboration in NaturalResourceManagement,InternationalDevelopmentResearch
Centre,WorldBankInstitute,Canada,pp.101-126.
StrongKC, RingerRC,and SA Taylor(2001) The rulesof stakeholdersatisfaction, Journalof Business
Ethics, vol.32, pp. 219-230.
UN/ISDR(2004), Terminology:BasicTerms of DisasterRisk Reduction
WhitmanZ (2013) The Canterbury EQsequence:The impactsand recovery strategiesof rural
organisations. PresentationatHurunui DistrictCouncil,08April. Departmentof Geological Sciences
Universityof Canterbury.

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