>>Another New Zealander I know says the code is designed to ensure the buildings don't collapse in the earthquake, in order to save lives, but may not be good enough to ensure that the buildings are safe afterward. Does that match what you know?
Not sure. This earthquake was a long way from Wellington. The old masonry Parliament Buildings in Wellington were untouched after their earthquake treatment in the 1990s while newer buildings, purportedly with even more modern earthquake resilience, have to be pulled down. Something doesn't make sense.
FWIW I once experienced a small earthquake while I was in my hotel room on the 28th floor in Los Angeles. Scary stuff. Until you learn that the buildings all have earthquake resilience and Los Angelenos weren't remotely worried.
As I see it: the big problem with these measures is that you don't learn whether lowest wage contractors made a mistake or the wrong steel was substituted or whatever, until it's too late.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
