The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) should be made a permanent disaster reconstruction body, outgoing Vero New Zealand CEO Gary Dransfield says.

He told the Trans-Tasman Business Circle in Wellington he supports a proposal before the Government to continue funding the authority, which is currently moving to wind down its role by next April.

“There is a good argument – that the minister is giving due consideration to – for maintaining the capability and expertise CERA has learned, alongside our Ministry of Civil Defence, to build resilience and provide support to local and regional areas struck by natural or other disasters, large and small,” Mr Dransfield said last Thursday.

He says the country could follow an Australian example – the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, which was set up after the floods of 2010/11 and co-ordinates the State Government’s program of infrastructure reconstruction in disaster-affected communities.

Mr Dransfield takes over as Suncorp Life CEO on an interim basis from October 1, replacing Geoff Summerhayes.