With businesses and offices evacuated throughout the capital, many part-time, casual, and temp workers have found themselves suddenly out of a job. Unite Union estimates tens of thousands of workers are affected. Labour's employment spokesperson Grant Robertson said there is now a "desperate need" for National to extend the support package it gave to Kaikoura. "They need to do that here in Wellington because we've got a large number of people whose lives have been turned upside down. They need some certainty, they need some security, that's where the Government has to step in."

Source: New Zealand Herald November 25, 2016 00:55 UTC