Staff at Ashburton's Work and Income office have today been praised for their resilience in returning to work less than three months after two co-workers were shot dead in cold blood.
A temporary services centre re-opened on Wednesday just 350m from the old office where the daylight shooting happened on September 1.
Front-counter Winz workers Peggy Turukira Noble, 67, and Susan Leigh Cleveland, 55, were killed.
Co-workers Lindy Louise Curtis, 43, who was was shot in the leg, and Kim Elizabeth Adams survived.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Police Minister Michael Woodhouse attended an "informal opening" today at the temporary centre in prefabricated buildings on Cass St, attached to the town's police station. The visit was to "acknowledge the staff and the trauma they have been through and their strength in coming back to work", Mrs Tolley said.
"It's been a very traumatic journey but today is a very significant day because it's the start of getting back to normal," she said.
"For them to get back into regular routines and starting to deal with the public again, as difficult as that might have been... I've come away thinking that we've got just a great group of staff there.
"They are a tremendous, very resilient group of people and most of them were looking forward to getting back to work."
Two security guards will be stationed at the new office, which is by appointment only.
Ashburton Mayor Angus McKay said this week that the reopening was a "positive step" on the town's road to recovery.
"I can only wish [the staff] all the best."
On the day of the shooting, Mr McKay said locals were resilient enough to cope.
"That has happened, and we are getting on with life," he said.
"We're a small, rural provincial town and one thing we're extremely good at is looking after each other."
The Ministry of Social Development said that along with Work and Income, Studylink and Senior Services would operate a full service at the offices from this week.
Child, Youth and Family will move in early February.
Homeless man Russell John Tully, 48, has entered no pleas to two charges of murder, two of attempted murder, and others of theft, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, and setting a man trap.
He will reappear in the High Court at Christchurch for a pre-trial callover on February 10.
By Kurt Bayer of NZME. News Service
