Please see below for a Ministerial Statement by Prime Minister John Key to the New Zealand Parliament on 4 March 2011.

On this day two weeks ago, the great city of Christchurch was ripped apart by a devastating earthquake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale.

So far it has been confirmed that 166 loved ones have lost their lives, and we are told that the final death toll could be more than 200.

To lose so many people at once, including many foreign nationals, is hard to fathom. It is a tragedy that one cannot put into words.

The Australian Federal Government has announced that assistance measures for those affected by flooding in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales will be extended to those affected by Cyclone Yasi.

The Australian Government has agreed to provide ex-gratia assistance to New Zealand non-protected Special Category Visa holders (subclass 444) residing in Australia who can provide evidence they have been working in Australia in the past three years and who have been affected by the recent flooding events in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria or Cyclone Yasi.

Prime Minister John Key today launched the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, a global fundraiser for the recovery effort in the city and the Canterbury region.

“It’s vital we reach as many people throughout the world as possible who want to help. This isn’t just New Zealand’s tragedy – the February 22 earthquake affected countless people internationally.

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred near the city of Christchurch in Canterbury, New Zealand, on 22 February 2011.

Updates on the earthquake are available on the Canterbury Earthquake website.

More information can be found on the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management website.