After a day of remembering the terrible events of 10 years ago, Christchurch got to celebrate last night with an international T20 match between the Black Caps and Australia. It was the first international match played under lights in the city since the earthquake. Conan Young headed along to Hagley Oval where a sold out crowd was treated to some champagne cricket.
Hon JUDITH COLLINS to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government’s statements and actions? HELEN WHITE to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy? Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by all his statements and policies on education? GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister of Housing: What recent announcements has she made about the Government’s transitional housing programme? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Housing: Has the Government kept the commitment made in the 2017 Speech from the Throne to develop a ‘Rent to Own’ scheme; if so, how many families has the scheme helped into houses since then? ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What support has the Ministry of Social Development provided to people and families affected by recent COVID-19 restrictions? NICOLE McKEE to the Minister of Police: Will Government actions reduce gang crime and gang numbers this year? IBRAHIM OMER to the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission's Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques: What recent engagement has there been with the Muslim and other ethnic communities on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain? SIMEON BROWN to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by her commitment to achieve the Striving Towards 1800 New Police initiative; if so, when will she achieve this initiative? TEANAU TUIONO to the Minister for Economic and Regional Development: What advice, if any, has he received about the upcoming launch in New Zealand of a satellite that includes the “Gunsmoke-J” payload from the United States Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command? MARJA LUBECK to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: What recent announcements has he made about improving the Holidays Act 2003? TIM VAN DE MOLEN to the Minister for Building and Construction: How many applications has the Residential Earthquake-Prone Building Financial Assistance Scheme had since its inception in September last year, and how much has been appropriated for the scheme?
A Christchurch man with terminal cancer is using his final days to battle his insurance company, a decade on from the deadly earthquakes. Brian Shaw owns an apartment that's in a block of 11. They were all damaged in 2011. Shaw is a building consent officer. He says getting technical reports and chasing a settlement with insurer Vero has already cost the unit owners about $400,000, and they still have not even made it to court. On Friday morning he will be protesting outside Vero's Christchurch office, along with other unhappy customers.
A protest is underway outside insurance company Vero's Christchurch's office, with building owners dismayed to be still fighting for earthquake repairs 10 years on. The protest was organised by the owners of an 11 unit apartment block in New Brighton, who says Vero is purposefully delaying progress to wear them down. RNZ's reporter Rachel Graham is at the protest and spoke to Meriana Johnsen
Christchurch is still struggling 10 years on from the earthquake with vacant spaces and little development. In the surrounding areas of Christchurch in Selwyn, inland and in the Waimakariri District to the north it's boom times, with the councils unable to keep up with building consents. The regions have continued to grow over the last 10 years after people initially moved there after the earthquake to escape the bumpy roads, red zones and EQC battles. RNZ's Sally Murphy reports.
Worries about the mental health impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes dominated a fiery meeting at Parliament today.
Motoko Kakubayashi joins us from Toyko where they are also about to mark a significant anniversary. A few weeks after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit the east coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that destroyed large parts of the coast, including damage to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. More than 15,000 lives were lost, more than 2000 still remain missing. In one afternoon, half a million people became homeless, and the search for family and friends at evacuation shelters began.
Matthew McEachen should have had most of his life ahead of him when he died on February 22, 2011. The 25-year-old was a talented artist and designer, putting his skills to good use at the Southern Ink tattoo shop on Colombo St. But when the earthquake struck, Bruce, Jeanette and Sarah McEachen lost their much-loved son and older brother. Ten years on, Matti's legacy lives on. Checkpoint reporter Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nate McKinnon with his story.
A new research project will study the ongoing impact of "quake brain" on people's memory and other cognitive functions a decade after the Canterbury earthquakes; a Masterton print business that can't find a way to recycle its plastic waste has highlighted a national problem; a programme offering free period products for all school students is to be rolled out nationwide from June; and why don't we eat possum?
As Christchurch prepares to mark 10 years since its deadly earthquake, the impact of that day continues to be felt differently. The less affluent eastern suburbs, which bore the brunt of the damage, continue to lag behind the rest of the city in their recovery. The former dean of Christchurch and fellow east sider, Peter Beck, told Conan Young that while government agencies such as EQC often failed people in their hour of need, what did not fail was the willingness of people to help out their neighbours.
A lawyer acting for Christchurch home-owners short changed in earthquake settlements says a new plan announced by the government is likely to run into trouble. Last year in a landmark case, the High Court found the government's claim settlement agency, Southern Response, misled and deceived Karl and Alison Dodds. It ordered the government to pay the couple nearly $180,000. The government has now set up a package for other Southern Response claimants who settled before October 2014. Its estimated about 3000 people will be eligible to benefit. But most of them are already taking part in a class action led by Brendan and Colleen Ross. Their lawyer Grant Cameron speaks to Corin Dann.
Three seismologists from GeoNet reflect on the decade of big earthquakes that began 10 years ago with the Darfield earthquake in Canterbury.
A scathing inquiry into the Earthquake Commission's handling of the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes could mean huge change for how it handles claims. The Government says it's committed to implementing all of the recommendations from the inquiry, including improving its communication, planning and preparedness and dispute resolution. John Goddard, an insurance and employment law barrister who dealt with more than 4000 claims at the time, says repairs were handled poorly and the new recommendations won't cover all the bases. John Goddard and Melanie Bourke of EQC Fix speak to Corin Dann.
A Christchurch couple has been told they can't use a driveway that no longer leads to any houses because the Earthquake Recovery Authority may need access to it.
A Christchurch couple fighting their insurer and the Earthquake Commission in court say accepting EQC's offer would leave them massively out of pocket.
Most of Christchurch's earthquake damaged red zones are now almost clear of homes, but just over a hundred homeowners are now learning what life will be like once everyone else has gone.
Official figures show the Christchurch City Council's legal bill to settle its earthquake insurance claims is sitting at nine million dollars, and climbing.
An historic Christchurch clock tower damaged in the earthquakes was unveiled today, after undergoing more than eight hundred thousand dollars of repairs.
Professional and personal partners Victoria Flight and John Drew about the nutritional benefits of coconut oil, and the decision to develop their business 'Blue Coconut' after experiencing a deeply traumatic event in Christchurch's earthquake of February 2011.
Christchurch's iconic Arts Centre has been off-limits to the public since it was damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes.
A Christchurch firefighter who helped amputate a man's leg to free him from earthquake wreckage has been given a rare honour for exceptional bravery.
Christchurch City Councillor Ali Jones talks about what the cull of EQC staff will mean for life in the post-earthquake city.
What the Panelists Finlay MacDonald and Peter Fa'afiu have been up to. The Reserve Bank has cut the Official Cash Rate to a record low 2%. Another book about retired All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has come out. The NZ Sevens rugby team is now officially out of medal contention. Are people all that interested in the Olympic games? Fairfax and Sky TV are in court over copyright issues. Christchurch City Councillor Ali Jones talks about what the cull of EQC staff will mean for life in the post-earthquake city.
More than 300 people turned out to a meeting in Christchurch last night to hear about botched Earthquake Commission repairs.
A world class centre for music and the arts has opened in Christchurch, after The Music Centre of Christchurch was damaged beyond repair in the 2011 earthquakes.
The agency in charge of fixing earthquake damaged pipes and roads in Christchurch was last night issued an excessive noise notice after keeping residents awake in the early hours.
The David and Goliath battle over a heritage building sitting in the way of a planned $473 million dollar, multi-use arena for Christchurch has ended up in court. The 25,000-seated, roofed arena is the final anchor project for the Christchurch rebuild and will be designed to host everything from All Blacks tests to big concerts. But sitting on the edge of the site, at 212 Madras Street, is the NG Building, a 115-year old warehouse that's home to a number of creative businesses. It escaped the worst of the 2011 earthquake and was strengthened by its owners: Roland Logan and Sharon Ng. They say they were told in 2013 the building could be incorporated into the arena's design, and are at loggerheads over its compulsory acquisition. Last week they were at the High Court seeking an injunction that would allow them to temporarily maintain ownership of the building, and that decision was released yesterday - and upheld. Roland joins Kathryn to discuss why they hope the building can be saved.
Kim Hill talks to Sam Crofskey, the owner of C1 Espresso in the Christchurch CBD, which reopened in 2012 after the Canterbury earthquakes and will celebrate its twentieth anniversary this year. He spoke on the WORD Christchurch panel, How Are We Doing, Christchurch?, and this week launched Let's Take a Walk, a pop-up book for children about the quakes that he created with his wife Fleur and illustrator Hannah Beehre. He is joined by Joseph Hullen (Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngai Tahu), a hunter gatherer, fisherman, explorer, kaitiaki and storyteller who has spent a lifetime gathering traditional kai and listening to stories about his hapu. He is a whakapapa researcher for Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, and is leading three sold-out walking tours during WORD Christchurch along the banks of the Otakaro (Avon River), uncovering the city's history.
The families of those who died in the CTV building's collapse during the Christchurch Earthquake in February of 2011 are vowing to continue their Fight For Justice after The Independent Police Conduct Authority rejected their complaint about the Police Investigation . The Police decided 3 years ago not to lay charges against the building's designer. Yesterday the families announced that the IPCA, the body that advised the Police, had told them that it had no jurisdiction over Crown Law. Families spokesperson, Maan Alkaisi, told reporter Conan Young that they will continue to push for somebody to be held to account. He wants a retired judge to take another look at the decision not to prosecute.
ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement, "There's actually quite legitimate business in New Zealand for servicing foreign trusts"? JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements? ALASTAIR SCOTT to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he received on the state of the Crown accounts ahead of Budget 2016? RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements? ALFRED NGARO to the Minister for Social Housing: What support will Budget 2016 provide for people in need of emergency housing? Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: What is the total amount of efficiencies since 2011/12 made by the 20 district health boards and how much have they made for the February year to date? JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Revenue: Does he stand by his statement, "these are the facts: there is no tax avoidance or evasion in New Zealand in respect of foreign trusts … There is no wealth hidden in New Zealand with these foreign trusts"? MAUREEN PUGH to the Minister for Communications: What recent announcements has she made on progress of the Government's Ultra-Fast Broadband programme? GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement made in Budget 2015 that "the unemployment rate is expected to fall below 5% in 2016"? BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made on Communities of Learning? Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister responsible for the Earthquake Commission: Has EQC's position that it will reinstate earthquake damage to a condition substantially the same as "when new" been applied to every home repaired in the Canterbury Home Repair Programme; if so, why does the EQC customer guide state that customers' homes will be returned to a "pre-earthquake state"? MAHESH BINDRA to the Minister of Corrections: Does she have confidence in the Department of Corrections' ability to keep both staff and prisoners safe?