Let him rest in peace. Whatever you do, don’t remove the stake.

1. Money should be spent on strengthening or demolishing/replacing buildings, rather than on exhorbitant insurance
2. Any losses should be concentrated on the building owners, and should not be socialised

Here is how to achieve these two goals:

First, remove most unreinforced masonry buildings from the heritage list*. Whatever happens, these buildings will NOT form part of Wellington’s heritage, as they will either collapse in a large earthquake within the next 100 years**, or will undergo extensive reinforcement that detracts from their heritage status. Removing the legislative need to re-build the flats with the same materials will drastically reduce insurance costs. It would be much cheaper to offer insurance that provides the owners an with alternative similar-sized flat in the same region, in the event of a major quake. And after all, how many apartment owners would really want to move back into a block of flats that looks identical to one that collapsed with their possessions (and loved ones) inside?

Second, provide government-backed low-interest loans to those who need them, to safely reinforce the buildings. Interest will be paid by the homeowner. The capital will be recovered from the eventual sale of the property, or in the event of a major quake, will be recovered from the insurance payout (repayment of the government taking priority over any payment to the homeowner). Yes, the cost of interest will be a burden of homeowners, and they will lose some equity on sale of the property. But in exchange for the interest, the homeowner will live in a safer building. The loss of equity will be offset by the fact that the flats will be worth more once the buildings are reinforced.

* I suggest that very limited ‘heritage precincts’ are defined (e.g. parts of Cuba St, Courtenay Place & Riddiford St), and that in these areas, and these areas alone, Council or Government assist building owners to reinforce and retain the building facades (the rest of the buildings can be replaced).

** Large earthquakes affect Wellington far more frequently than every 750 years. The 750 year figure is for the Wellington fault alone. There are dozens of other known and unknown faults, in the Cook Strait and elsewhere, that will cause serious damage to Wellington when they rupture.

I’d hope a rent cap to stop the gouging from the private sector that’s going on now, and someway to stop landowners primed for sub development from profiteering out of peoples misery, as a gift in the aftermath of a national (in more ways than one) disaster.

Raymond is short of ideas because there really is no solution short of something utterly drastic.

The question is what would Raymond be doing different from Maurice Williamson?

That was a real bright idea by the National Government to get rid of the Apprenticeship Schemes back 15-20 years ago, we used to produce some of the best tradesmen in the world, now we produce cowboys.

Nice try softinthehead – Translated – poos and wees.

2/ Make the NZ government the insurer of last resort

3/ Nationalise the insurance industry

4/ Knock down everything that fails to reach 80% of the building code and start again.

It appears the only way to solve the point I think you’re trying to make is to legislate. Am I right?