The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard evidence that a heritage order on a row of dangerous buildings may have contributed to the deaths of a dozen people in the February quake.
It all started two years ago today at 4:36 in the morning, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook Canterbury.
It was just a little under an hour and a half ago, two years today, that a seven-point-one magnitude earthquake shook Canterbury.
Schools are an important part of any community, and two years on from the start of the earthquakes in Canterbury many are still coping with damage to classrooms, and with dramatically reduced rolls.
A structural engineer has denied he rushed the inspection of earthquake repairs to a Christchurch bar so it could re-open in time for New Years Eve.
The owner of a building that collapsed in last February's Christchurch earthquake - killing four people - has faced questioning about why he did not get recommended strengthening work done.
Two separate chances to inspect the Canterbury Television building were missed before the February earthquake saw it pancake to the ground last year, killing 115 people.
A man whose wife was killed when the CTV building collapsed says the council's inspections after the September quake were in a mess and signage put on some buildings sent the wrong message that they were safe to occupy.
A Christchurch firefighter says the Fire Service's management team should be sacked because of poor conduct during the February earthquake emergency response.
A new report says the financial cost of a major earthquake in Wellington would be much bigger than the Canterbury quakes. Opposition parties attack the asset sales plan after Bill English's "it's just a guess" comment and cuts to jobs, services, and profits, hard times at Qantas.
With many in Christchurch still living in earthquake damaged houses, the cold snap has prompted a call for temporary emergency shelters. Daphne Lewis-Mannix lives in a quake-damaged home in New Brighton. Her power was out last night, and she's been shivering overnight, already sick with a cold before the storm hit.
The Christchurch earthquake last February forced many circus performers to flee the city in search of work. Their base - the Circo Arts school - was damaged in the quake and is likely to be demolished. But they're now slowly returning, as a new base for circus performers is established in the city.
Christchurch Hospital has just celebrated its 150th anniversary. The major medical facility is in the heart of the city, beside Hagley Park, and played a key role in the February earthquake, treating the many who were seriously injured. Christchurch correspondent Katy Gosset discovers the hospital faces its own quake-related challenges as it plans for the future.
Questions to Ministers 1. GARETH HUGHES to the Minister for Primary Industries: Will he extend the Taranaki set net ban after the recent death of a Maui's dolphin in a fishing net? 2. DAVID BENNETT to the Minister for Economic Development: What actions is the Government taking to boost economic linkages with China? 3. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that his hour-long show on Radio Live on 30 September 2011 was an "election free zone"? 4. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON to the Minister of Health: What improvements, if any, have been made to the Government's national health targets? 5. Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: Did he discuss with the Christchurch City Mayor reported claims that there had been overtures from within The Treasury that there was scope for the city's rates to be increased or for assets to be sold to pay for the quake recovery, and that this could be done under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act before he called him a clown; if not, why not? 6. JACQUI DEAN to the Minister of Local Government: What reports has he received on increases in local government council debt since the Local Government Act 2002 was enacted? 7. DARIEN FENTON to the Minister of Labour: Does she stand by her statement that the new minimum wage announced yesterday "strikes the right balance between protecting low paid workers and ensuring that jobs are not lost."? 8. PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister of Consumer Affairs: What recent announcements has the Government made on protecting consumers from loan sharks? 9. CLARE CURRAN to the Minister of Broadcasting: Is he aware that Stephen McElrea is part of a working group within NZ On Air, which includes a representative of MediaWorks, and which is determining details of a documentary about Whānau Ora? 10. TIM MACINDOE to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector: What recent announcement has she made in her portfolio that will benefit communities? 11. HOLLY WALKER to the Minister for Social Development: Does she consider low family incomes to be a major contributor to childhood vulnerability? 12. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he still have confidence in all his Ministers?