Support for EQC Shakeup

"We must go further."

That from TC3 Residents (Facebook Group) spokesperson Carmel Jaggar today following the release of CanCern's letter calling for the removal of EQC head Ian Simpson.

"We applaud CanCern for taking this step however the changes must be much more broad than removing Simpson," she says. "A number of others with important and responsible positions are all walking the company line, and are a real concern to us, as are the actual systems and processes which are systemically ill equipped to deal with the recovery.

Jaggar says that EQC, by the sheer fact it is essentially a Government dept, is risk averse and heavily bureaucratic, putting how things "look" ahead of the people and what they really need. "They say they get it but clearly they do not."

Carmel also highlights the concerns raised after the Aug/Sept 2012 TC3 Residents (Facebook Group) survey revealed very high dissatisfaction with EQC and the problems this is causing and exacerbating with regards to mental health in the region.

"508 of the 689 respondents said they were "unhappy with EQC"," she says. Other results reveal that 91% were "angry with the processes" and almost two years on, 79% are still waiting for EQC, costings, Insurer response, or an assessment."

Carmel Jaggar says the survey is not scientific but the huge response and indications of problems people are facing are virtually an exact reflection of what people were facing over a year ago.

"This goes much deeper than the man at the top," says Jaggar. "This is about a system that is not working, a system that was not set up to manage a disaster of this magnitude and needs overhauling immediately.

Cantabrians are losing their families, their financial positions are being eroded and in many cases their mental and physical health is under increasing stress. The time has come to stop the talking and make some changes," she says.

TC3 Residents (Facebook Group) liaised with CanCern regarding the letter they have written to the Minister for Earthquake recovery and EQC Chair Michael Wintringham.

"Cantabrians deserve much more than the hollow words we are still hearing from EQC regarding the acknowledgement of the organisations ineptitude and the problems we are still facing. We need and deserve systems that work, people who are able to and dedicated to solving problems, so that claims can be progressed. And we need this before our communities become so damaged and affected that they won't ever recover in this lifetime," she says.

The TC3 Residents (Facebook Group) says, eighteen months to two years down the track it is hard to understand why houses have still not been assessed, why people are having their rebuild classified as a repair and why people are not able to meet face to face with their insurer to discuss their claim. 

"The sharp decline in mental health demonstrates the effects of long term stress and uncertainty that people are experiencing.  People are struggling and we demand some commonsense and leadership from those who should be providing it," says Carmel Jaggar.

ENDS