Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Media campus in capital vacated due to quake risk

Updated at 10:57 pm on 8 December 2011

The Whitireia New Zealand media building in central Wellington has been vacated because it may be an earthquake risk.

The building in Cuba Mall houses a media training training centre for radio, journalism, publishing and editing students.

Whitireia's chief executive Don Campbell says the owner has raised issues on how safe the building, or part of the building is.

He says they have yet to find out what, if any, strengthening work needs to be done.

Mr Campbell says most courses have finished for the year and it has other city locations if students need to work.

Meanwhile, the Public Service Association says recent closures may be just the start of a widespread problem.

The Justice Ministry says six court buildings in different parts of the country are closed for up to a year, while the Inland Revenue Department says its Upper Hutt offices will be closed for about a month for earthquake-strengthening work.

Some hospital and school buildings have also had to be closed.

The union says safety is paramount and assessments have to be done, but it would like to see a more consistent and systematic approach being taken.

Listen to Morning Report interview with PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff

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