Lessons learned for civil engineers from the earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand

New Zealanders are exposed to multiple natural hazards. The country has experienced major disasters in the past, but recent decades have been relatively uneventful.1This paper reviews the New Zealand approach to civil defence emergency management (CDEM), as introduced by the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (the CDEM Act). The approach promotes co-operative planning and sustainable management of hazard risks through the “4Rs” - reduction (of risks), readiness, response and recovery. It recognises the central government’s roles of national coordination, and emphasises the responsibilities of regional CDEM Groups, local government and communities for managing local hazard risks. The paper reviews various initiatives to illustrate that capacity building is a collective effort requiring active involvement across central and local government, nongovernmental agencies, communities and all individuals. New Zealand’s preparedness is examined from several perspectives, including: the level of public preparedness, lessons learned from real emergencies, a national exercise programme, and a monitoring and evaluation programme. The paper concludes that New Zealanders are making progress but difficulties remain in persuading all parties to work towards the vision of a “Resilient New Zealand.” 1. This paper was submitted before the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand (where the second largest city Christchurch is located) on 4 September 2010. Fortunately, no deaths and only a few serious injuries were reported as a result of the earthquake. The impact on buildings, infrastructure and economy, and psychosocial effects are being assessed as the paper is being finalised. However, the event is set to become the most costly disaster so far in New Zealand history. It will also be the most significant real test for many years of New Zealand’s emergency management arrangements, but it is too soon for an assessment in this paper of their effectiveness.

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Hindsight in 2020? New Zealand's ‘Wait and See’ Approach to Mobile Broadband Regulation

Media International Australia ◽

10.1177/1329878x1415100121 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 151 (1) ◽

pp. 171-179

Author(s):

Michael S. Daubs

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Market Competition ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Mobile Broadband ◽

Broadband Service ◽

Spectrum Auctions ◽

Spectrum Auction ◽

Wait And See ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Review of the Telecommunications Act 2001, released in 2013, highlighted an increased demand for mobile broadband service, particularly in relation to the 700 MHz spectrum auction of 14 January 2014 – space ideal for next-generation 4G or Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile services. The government seemingly adopted a ‘wait and see’ approach to mobile broadband regulation, however, delaying its development until 2020 when there will be ‘a clearer sense of the impact of new networks and technology’. One can look to Canada to see the need for robust mobile broadband policies. Like New Zealand, Canada has relied primarily upon spectrum auctions to stimulate market competition. The spectrum auction frameworks used there, however, have done little to promote market competition. Applying the lessons learned from Canada to a New Zealand context, this article argues for a more assertive regulatory framework sooner rather than later.

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Formulating a 100-year strategy for managing coastal hazard risk in a changing climate: Lessons learned from Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

Environmental Science & Policy ◽

10.1016/j.envsci.2021.10.012 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 127 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

E.J. Ryan ◽

S.D. Owen ◽

J. Lawrence ◽

B. Glavovic ◽

L. Robichaux ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Coastal Hazard ◽

Changing Climate ◽

Hazard Risk

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The Inter-Relationships of Scales of Heterogeneity in Subsurface, Deep Water E&P Projects—Lessons Learned from the Mount Messenger Formation (Miocene), Taranaki Basin, New Zealand

Deep-Water Reservoirs of the World: 20th Annual ◽

10.5724/gcs.00.15.0263 ◽

2000 ◽

pp. 263-283 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. L. Coleman ◽

G. H. Browne ◽

P. R. King ◽

R. M. Slatt ◽

R. J. Spang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Deep Water ◽

Lessons Learned

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New Zealand ShakeOut exercise: lessons learned by schools

Disaster Prevention and Management An International Journal ◽

10.1108/dpm-01-2016-0018 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 550-563 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Karlene S. Tipler ◽

Ruth A. Tarrant ◽

David M. Johnston ◽

Keith F. Tuffin

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Emergency Response ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Large Scale ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Content Type ◽

School Based ◽

Emergency Events ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify lessons learned by schools from their involvement in the 2012 New Zealand ShakeOut nationwide earthquake drill. Design/methodology/approach – The results from a survey conducted with 514 schools were collated to identify the emergency preparedness lessons learned by schools through their participation in the ShakeOut exercise. Findings – Key findings indicated that: schools were likely to do more than the minimum when presented with a range of specific emergency preparedness activities; drills for emergency events require specific achievement objectives to be identified in order to be most effective in preparing schools; and large-scale initiatives, such as the ShakeOut exercise, encourage schools and students to engage in emergency preparedness activities. Practical implications – Based on the findings, six recommendations are made to assist schools to develop effective emergency response procedures. Originality/value – The present study contributes to the ongoing efforts of emergency management practitioners and academics to enhance the efficacy of school-based preparedness activities and to, ultimately, increase overall community resilience.

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