Hon Gerry Brownlee
Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
16 May 2013
Additional $2.1b for Christchurch’s recovery
The Budget confirms a further $2.1 billion in funding for the Christchurch earthquake recovery, Canterbury Earthquake
Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.
With the total cost of the recovery increasing to an estimated $40 billion, the Government’s contribution will increase
from around $13 billion to $15 billion.
That includes over $900 million in new capital funding from the Future Investment Fund, which includes the Christchurch
and Burwood hospitals redevelopment, funding for the justice and emergency service precinct, and tertiary education
institutions.
“In Budget 2013, this Government has recognised the substantial financial support Christchurch needs, not just to get
back on its feet, but to position itself on the world stage as a great small city where people want to live, visit and
invest,” Mr Brownlee says.
An additional $303 million has been earmarked for the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan, enabling Christchurch to
rebuild and redevelop into a world class city.
“This will give reassurance to the people of Christchurch that this Government has invested in the city’s recovery for
the long haul,” Mr Brownlee says.
“Plans are well under way for how the city will look in the years to come. This funding is about enabling that to
happen.”
Budget 2013 has also set aside funding for final land zoning decisions, the work of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
Authority, and a number of education initiatives.
Together with the funding earmarked for the central city, this takes the full amount of operating funding for Canterbury
in Budget 2013 to over $500 million.
The remainder of the total increase includes $642 million of capital funding from existing balance sheets, which will
mainly be used for health and education projects in Canterbury.