Key happy with Christchurch progress

Nearly a year after Christchurch was devastated by the February 22 earthquake, Prime Minister John Key says he is satisfied with the progress in rebuilding the city.

On Wednesday, the country will mark the anniversary of the Canterbury quake, which left 185 people dead and obliterated parts of Christchurch.

Concerns have been raised that it is taking too long to get the city back on its feet, but Mr Key said today that people needed to consider the quake's context.

"This is the fourth largest insurance claim in the world,'' he told TVNZ's Breakfast.

"Massive destruction in Christchurch, most of the CBD being knocked down and a lot of those homes in the red zone.''

Sorting out the insurance market and ongoing aftershocks had slowed up progress, but Mr Key said people could now see the momentum building.

"Some people are getting on with their lives and are able to carry out their daily lives OK, others are still feeling deep frustration.''

Mr Key said building codes for the city were yet to be established, but the Government was trying to speed up that process.

The Government stepped in this month to help sort out infighting on the city council, and Mr Key said today the situation was progressing since a Crown monitor was appointed to oversee the local body.

"We're seeing some better behaviour,'' he said.

"There's a lot of frustration in Christchurch, and I think when we move towards that 22nd people will want to spend some time paying their respects to those families that lost loved ones.

"Obviously it's a very sad day, but it's also an important day to look forward about what a future Christchurch might look like.''