28 Nov 2016

EQC presses on with plans to cut staff from 850 to 450

From Morning Report, 7:16 am on 28 November 2016
EQC's outgoing chief executive, Ian Simpson.

EQC's outgoing chief executive, Ian Simpson. Photo: RNZ / Conan Young

The Earthquake Commission is going ahead with plans to halve the number of staff it employs despite the influx of new claims from the Kaikoura quake.

The commission is reportedly expecting as many as 50,000 claims for the Kaikoura quake by the February deadline.

Despite that, the agency's staffing will drop from about 850 to 450 by January.