Labour MP slams Civil Defence after Christchurch protest

Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove has slammed Civil Defence for failing to communicate with frustrated Christchurch business owners.

A group of at least 100 people marched through Christchurch's cordoned CBD yesterday afternoon, demanding access to their businesses.

"The protest (yesterday) should never have occurred. It was born out of a lack of basic communication. It should never have got to that stage," the Waimakariri MP and one-time TelstraClear manager told NZPA.

Mr Cosgrove said he had spoken last week to Civil Defence Minister John Carter and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and questioned why Civil Defence had not contacted commercial tenants.

The ministry needed to communicate with tenants as well as building owners, he said.

He had also spoken to Civil Defence national controller John Hamilton asking why Civil Defence had not asked tenants to come forward so they could explain what building they were in, what floor, and their contact details.

Christchurch people's livelihoods were at stake.

"They're the engine room of our economy and all they're asking for is some basic communication so they can plan. If they can't plan, their livelihoods are in jeopardy and jobs are in jeopardy," he said.

Yesterday, Mr Carter said authorities were working on plans to allow more business owners and tenants access to some of Christchurch's quake-ravaged CBD.

Mr Hamilton was working with the Canterbury Business Recovery group to allow business owners limited and controlled access to the quake-damaged red zone from Thursday, Mr Carter said.

But safety was still paramount and people would not be allowed into any unsafe buildings.

"Business owners need to exercise patience and consider their need to access their businesses, bearing in mind that in doing so without authorisation they may not only endanger their own lives, but also the lives of others."

Mr Carter said the cordon was there to save lives.

"It is foolish to breach the cordon around the red zone. People died behind that cordon," he said.

Civil Defence was working tirelessly to get the area into a safe state, Mr Carter said.

"It is serious that people think they can storm or breach the cordon. They put lives at risk doing that and they will be prosecuted," he said.

Acting controller Steve Brazier said 3500 people had registered with Canterbury's Business Recovery Group to gain access to their businesses.

About 350 people had already been granted access and about 500 people would be provided access by the end of this week, he said.

A moratorium on demolishing buildings in the CBD had been extended until Friday.

And police have warned people who forced their way through cordons could be killed.

"The CBD is a very dangerous environment...They're putting their own lives at risk when they actually go within the cordoned area," Christchurch Superintendent Andy McGregor said.

Some buildings were still unstable and in danger of falling, especially if large aftershocks continued to strike.

Mr McGregor said he understood why business owners were so frustrated but storming the cordon was not the answer.

"It has actually got to be done in quite a structured, systemic way. We can't just have people going in when they feel like going in."

Nobody was arrested during the protest today despite people pushing past the cordon, he said.

However, if it happened again people would be arrested: "The fact is, if people are using force to go in, we'll deal with it firmly," he said.

Christchurch businessman Kurt Langer, who has a photography studio in Cashel Mall, said at least 100 people took part in a protest outside the Christchurch Art Gallery.

Protesters demanded Mr Brownlee and Mr Hamilton come and talk to them, but to no avail, he said.

People pushed past the cordon and walked along several streets on the outskirts of the CBD, he said.

"We really want to stop the demolition companies from demolishing buildings without anyone's consent...That's why there are many frustrated people."

Mr Langer said protesters, mainly people who owned buildings or leased buildings in the area, felt out of the loop and were concerned their buildings would be demolished without any consultation.

"We are all going bankrupt. We are about to lose everything and they will not tell us anything. It's a complete police state," he told NZPA.

He said protesters held signs with messages including "stop the demolition", "let us retrieve our property", and "stop ruining our lives".

Mr Langer said a structural engineer had told him his building could be made safe enough to enter.

"I could retrieve at least half a million dollars of irreplaceable goods within half an hour," he said.

He said protesters only walked in the safe area of the cordon and he felt no concern for his safety.