And for those further insisting that a national state of emergency somehow allows the government to do more to help those suffering in Christchurch, here's what John Key had to say about it in his speech:
Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act, this declaration means the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management John Hamilton may control the exercise and performance of functions, duties, and powers of CDEM Groups and Group controllers. There are no other differences between the powers under a state of local emergency and a state of national emergency.(Emphasis added)
So, the only difference is who is in charge. Make no mistake: this is a cynical political exercise, all about who gets the limelight (and hence the credit) in an election year. Again, it is a gross abuse of power. But entirely par for the course for National.
