New Zealand military surrenders HQ to earthquake damage

New Zealand's military and defense administration is looking for a new home after being beaten out of its headquarters by the 7.8-magnitude quake that struck in November last year.

The 10-year-old building housing the headquarters of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is to be demolished because it was so badly damaged by the quake.

The NZDF said on Friday that repairs on Defence House - also known as Freyberg House - were deemed too expensive.

The Nov. 14 earthquake, which was centered in the coastal town of Kaikoura, on the northeast of the South Island, triggered the evacuation of the building.

Since then critical headquarters staff for both the NZDF and MOD had operated out of Freyberg Building, immediately behind the Defence House, said a statement from the NZDF.

"By the end of April about 900 staff from the NZDF and MOD will be based in Freyberg Building," it said.

The owner of Defence House, AMP Capital, has been involved in investigations to determine the extent of the damage, but had advised the cost of repairs was not economically viable and it would be taken down.

"Long-term accommodation options for the NZDF and MOD in Wellington are under consideration, as we work out of our interim accommodation," said the statement.

Opposition lawmakers demanded to know why a building supposedly designed to the highest levels was brought low by an earthquake not even centered on Wellington.

"That sets off alarm bells. Why is it that so many modern buildings in Wellington failed when so many other buildings, including ones stickered 'earthquake prone,' suffered little or no damage?" leader of the opposition New Zealand First party, Winston Peters, said. Endit