Paul Stichbury
By Email: [FYI request #29207 email]
25 November 2024
Dear Paul,
Official Information Request: Availability of Seismic Data to the General Public
I refer to your official information request of 15 November 2024 for the following information:
I am making an OIA request with the purpose of clarifying statements made on the QuakeCore
website where they cite the work of GNS regarding the updated National Seismic Hazard Model.
https://nshm.gns.cri.nz/
https://quakecore.nz/research-project-stories-triumph-of-col aboration/
…
I can not find on either website clarification of which regions have an increased level of risk or a two
to three times seismic risk.
1/ Wil these regions with increased hazard be identified?
…
The National Seismic Hazard Model has thumbnail summaries for identified fault zones. These are
helpful but need further information as to frequency, images from google earth, precise location,
their own webpage etc.
2/ Wil ful details be made available to the public? A disturbing example under Palmerston North
with an earthquake range from 7.56 to 9.6
…
3/ Has GNS Science had any involvement with either the Lifelines Project or the Turitea Dams?
4/ Were there any communications on seismic issues with Dora Luo?
5/ Has GNS Science ever been consulted by anyone at PNCC, especially in light of question number
2?
Request granted
We have decided to grant your request. The information you have requested is set out below:
1.
Wil these regions with increased hazard be identified?
This information is available in the text and figures of section 5 of the fol owing GNS Science
report (Gerstenberger MC, Bora S, Bradley BA, DiCaprio C, Van Dissen RJ, Atkinson GM,
Chamberlain C, Christophersen A, Clark KJ, Coffey GL, et al. 2022. New Zealand National
Seismic Hazard Model 2022 revision: model, hazard and process overview. Lower Hutt (NZ):
GNS Science. 106 p. (GNS Science report; 2022/57). Doi:10.21420/TB83-7X19.), which is
freely available for download at:
https://nshm-staticreports.gns.cri.nz/NSHM/ScienceReports/SR2022-
57%20NSHM%20Summary%20Report_FINAL.pdf
2.
Wil full details be made available to the public? A disturbing example under Palmerston
North with an earthquake range from 7.56 to 9.6
Al details of the model are available in the GNS Science reports that accompany the model
results, available here:
https://nshm.gns.cri.nz/Resources/ScienceReports
Data for individual locations and seismic hazard maps of New Zealand can be found at:
https://nshm.gns.cri.nz/HazardCurves
https://nshm.gns.cri.nz/HazardMaps
3.
Has GNS Science had any involvement with either the Lifelines Project or the Turitea Dams?
GNS has done work in relation to the Turitea dams.
GNS Science was not involved in the Lifelines Project referred to in your request.
4.
Were there any communications on seismic issues with Dora Luo?
GNS has communicated with Dora Luo on seismic issues.
5.
Has GNS Science ever been consulted by anyone at PNCC, especially in light of question
number 2?
As mentioned above, GNS Science was consulted by Dora Luo.
If you require further information as a result of our responses to your questions, could you please be
specific as to timeframes and subject matter. We note a word search of our email database in
respect of questions 3-5 resulted in over 12,000 results. Subject to the breadth of any further
request for information, we may have to charge for the supply of that information. The more specific
you can be with your request the more efficiently we can respond. Where the labour involved to
retrieve, collate and supply the information is reasonable, the relevant information can also be
supplied at no cost.
Your rights
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how
to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Anna Jellie
General Counsel
