New Zealand’s capital is not about to be moved because a new fault line has been discovered under Wellington, the prime minister, John Key, says.



The fault line, believed to be about 10km to 15km long and capable of generating earthquakes of up to 6.5 magnitude, was discovered in recent months by scientists carrying out mapping exercises.

More details were due to be revealed on Wednesday afternoon by scientists from the national institute of water and atmospheric research.

Key said he had not been briefed on the details, but the fault line had obviously been there for a very long time.

“It doesn’t actually change anything. There are other big fault lines in Wellington,” he told reporters. “This shows we’re getting better at finding out where they are.”

Key was asked about whether it was time to think about making a different city the capital.

“From time to time people say the capital should be elsewhere but I think that’s fanciful,” he said. “The capital isn’t going anywhere.”

It is understood the fault begins under the harbour between Westpac Stadium and Oriental Bay, and runs south through the city and suburbs of Newtown and either Island Bay or Lyall Bay.

Wellington was already known to sit near the Wairarapa fault and on the Wellington fault.

The Wellington fault is 25km to 30km below ground, where the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates are moving against each other at an average rate of about 3.5cm a year. The Wellington fault last ruptured between 300 and 500 years ago.