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Media statements
EQC Brisbane office evacuated
13 January 2011
The Earthquake Commission’s contracted claims management centre in Brisbane has been evacuated due to the area’s flooding crisis.
“Although the office is located on higher ground on the edge of the city and is not expected to be inundated, we have heeded the advice of the local authorities to evacuate,” the chief operating officer of the Earthquake Commission, Lance Dixon, said today.
“Consequently, the office, managed by our contractor Gallagher Basset, now has a restricted capacity to make calls until further notice.
“However, the contingency plans we have in place enable us to make some calls and continue processing claims, albeit remotely.
“The office is the hub of our claims management process and is set up in part to take calls from people about their particular claims.
“Our general call centres remain operational but are not able to transfer enquiries about claims to Brisbane. They have been instructed to take enquiries from callers and log them into the system for response when the Brisbane office re-opens.
“Ideally, people will use our email system to make enquiries (claims@eqc.govt.nz).
“Flooding is predicted to peak tomorrow. We will review the situation tomorrow night with a view to re-opening on Friday if we can.
“In the meantime, the most urgent enquiries will be handled by staff in New Zealand.
“I am sure Cantabrians and other New Zealanders will join us in expressing sympathy for the Queenslanders caught up in what is obviously a major disaster.
“It is also a little ironic that we located our claims management centre in Australia in large part to keep it away from New Zealand in times of our own disasters and now that office is caught up one of their own,” Mr Dixon concluded.
Further information:
Lance Dixon Chief Operating Officer
Phone: (029) 978 6407
Jo Martin Communications Adviser
Phone: (029) 978-6430
Email: info@eqc.govt.nz