In this edition: The report into the collapse of the CTV building in the Christchurch earthquake a year ago is released, the Maori Council lodges claims with the Waitangi tribunal that could throw a spanner in the works of the Government's asset sales programme, the Earthquake Recovery Minister nearing the end of his tether with the Christchurch City Council, more from the Pike River Royal Commission, Radio Live could face a potential one hundred thousand dollar fine under the electoral act over John Key's hour long radio show in the run up to the 2011 election, banks lift their collective profits for the second half of 2011 by 25 percent and the winners are announced at the 2012 Halberg Awards.
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?
Questions to Ministers
1. DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement in the House yesterday, in answer to Oral Question No 2, that his Government is selling assets because "New Zealanders want less debt, more productive assets, and an economy that is going to function, not a load more debt"?
2. PAUL GOLDSMITH to the Minister for Economic Development: What progress is the Government making in implementing its economic growth agenda?
3. PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Transport: Does the Government consider it important for its transport spending to be cost-effective and provide a good return on investment?
4. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: What, according to the Crown Ownership Monitoring Unit, was the average total shareholder return of Genesis, Meridian, Mighty River Power and Solid Energy over the last five years and how does that compare to the average cost of borrowing to the Government right now?
5. NICKY WAGNER to the Minister of Local Government: What reports has he received on how much rates increased nationally in the decade since the Local Government Act 2002 and how does this compare to the previous decade?
6. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister for the Environment: Does he stand by his statement made in the House yesterday in relation to the grounding of the Rena that "the statute sets down very clearly that I as Minister for the Environment should not be encouraging or discouraging a proper, independent decision by Environment Bay of Plenty as to whether they should or should not take a prosecution"?
7. KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Broadcasting: What recent announcements has the Government made on progress towards digital switchover?
8. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he still have confidence in all his Ministers?
9. Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: How many written comments were received on the draft Recovery Plan for the Christchurch CBD and is it his intention to consider them all before making a decision on the draft Recovery Plan for the CBD, in accordance with the process set out on the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority's website?
10. MELISSA LEE to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What recent steps have there been to promote New Zealand citizenship as a successful settlement pathway for migrants?
11. CLARE CURRAN to the Minister of Broadcasting: Does he stand by the Prime Minister's statement in relation to the appointment of the Prime Minister's electorate chairman Stephen McElrea to the NZ On Air board that "if you look at the vast array of appointments we make, I think the balance is about right"?
12. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister of Education: Will she rule out implementing Treasury's advice to increase class sizes in schools?
A new slew of Christchurch businesses are in limbo after Merivale mall was closed because of earthquake risks.
Board Chair of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra on the future of the ensemble post-earthquake.
Rachel Graham & Bridget Mills look at Christchurch and its people a year on from the earthquake
We are here broadcasting from Christchurch, as the city remembers the devastating earthquake that claimed 185 lives, and forever changed the city for those who survived.
Animals have also suffered upheaval because of the Christchurch earthquakes. Jan Collins is one of those caring for some the hundreds of pets who have been left homeless because of the earthquakes.
A Christchurch firefighter says the Fire Service's management team should be sacked because of poor conduct during the February earthquake emergency response.
Today, the nation marks a year since the 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch.
Remembering the Christchurch February 2011 earthquake; the Crown is considering an appeal after bail was granted to Kim Dotcom; and Murray McCully's emails appear to demonstrate a desire to resist China's advances in the Pacific.
Thousands gather in Christchurch; CTV survivor talks about the earthquake service; Carpenter Chris Nutfield recieves bravery award; Megaupload founder relieved to go home to his family; Teenagers describe shock of seeing people with guns; and more Christchurch memorial coverage.
In Christchurch, people have been marking one year on from the deadly 6.3 magnitude earthquake.
The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard the earthquake resilience of stairways in the Forsyth Barr building was compromised when they were installed.
A year after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, Simon Morton revisits the Avon River to see how life's progressing along it and in it.
A structural engineer has broken down at the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission after admitting he contributed to a woman's death in the February the twenty second earthquake.
The Christchurch City Council has admitted it failed to provide a second line of defence in checks on a building that killed a woman during last February's earthquake.
Some Christchurch residents say the Christchurch City Council has been too slow to resolve the threat of rock fall to their homes, and they now hope the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority will take over the job.
The Anglican Church has been asked why it failed to carry out a detailed inspection of a building which partially collapsed, killing a Canadian tourist in Christchurch during the February earthquake.
While many businesses in Christchurch are still struggling to get back on their feet after over a year of earthquakes, car sales, including many luxury models, are booming.
A review of the week's main news: sex offender slips through net to teach in a number of New Zealand schools, government says it's not to blame for spreading industrial unrest, Turangi teen sentenced to 10 years jail for raping five year old, Rena captain and navigational officer plead guilty to altering ship's documents, government targets sole parents, unemployed teens, widows and women alone in welfare reforms, Otago Rugby Union fights to stave off liquidation, government promising clampdown on mistreatment and underpayment of foreign crews working on fishing boats chartered to New Zealand companies, structural engineer breaks down at Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission and Bret McKenzie earns an Oscar for a Muppet of a song.
A review of the week's news including: Continuing industrial trouble at Ports Of Auckland, the National Road Policing manager Paula Rose on holiday road toll figures, Southland faces drought conditions, researchers come up with a solution that could lower the cost of rebuilding the earthquake devastated Christchurch CBD, a 24 year old woman with autism wins a 2011 attitude award for raising awareness of the condition, New Zealand Tasman Sea rowers hope to finally make some progress and how they celebrate New year at the bottom of the World.
Canterbury may have a regional holiday to mark the anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake.
High School students in Christchurch have defied the odds and the ongoing disruption caused by the earthquakes and achieved better marks in last year's NCEA than students in the rest of the country.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquakes will today begin to examine the failure of the building that's come to symbolise the damage to the central city.
The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard how close the city's tallest building came to collapsing entirely during the February 22nd earthquake.
Several thousand people attended the Christchurch red-zoned suburb of Brooklands' swan song gala. About five hundred homes have had to be abandoned because of earthquake damage, meaning Brooklands as it has been known will soon no longer exist.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says he's nearing the end of his tether with the Christchurch City Council.
Topic 1: The Minister for Earthquake Recovery, Gerry Brownlee, was quick to apologise to the Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker for calling him a clown. Topic 2: The Electoral Commission says John Key's hour-long pre-election radio show gave him the chance to raise his personal profile unchallenged.
A victim's family and engineers are seeking answers from the Christchurch City Council on why the earthquake-devastated CTV building was allowed to be built.
