11. AMY ADAMS (National—Selwyn) Link to this
to the Minister for Land Information
What steps has Land Information New Zealand taken to help in the rebuilding of Canterbury following the 4 September earthquake?
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (Minister for Land Information) Link to this
The Government has just granted $850,000 to Land Information New Zealand so its experts can start the important work of resurveying parts of the region damaged by the 4 September earthquake. New Zealand’s survey control system is made up of physical markers known as a geodetic network. The network provides surveyors with accurate information about the area’s topography. The Canterbury earthquake caused significant disturbance to that region’s geodetic control network, making it incredibly unreliable. With the resurveying done, repair work on important infrastructure such as roads, water, waste water, and sewerage networks can be carried out effectively with the correct information about the land. The surveying work is important because it will not only help local authorities to rebuild key infrastructure but also inform them about changing drainage patterns and flood risks.
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON Link to this
The resurveying work will help determine property boundaries, which will help ease homeowners’ stress and reduce any potential property disputes. The work will help homeowners in their rebuilding, as currently some work is being delayed due to a lack of accurate data following the quake. In other words, the earth is not where it used to be.