Canterbury residents plan for tsunami evacuation
Audio, Radio New Zealand
It's been more than two months since New Zealand braced for a tsunami following a massive earthquake off the coast of Chile.
It's been more than two months since New Zealand braced for a tsunami following a massive earthquake off the coast of Chile.
The Christchurch City Council says it needs Government money to help repair its earthquake damaged heritage and character buildings.
It's more tha 10 weeks since the seven point one magnitude Canterbury earthquake but the region continues to be shaken by aftershocks.
Some Christchurch homeowners fear they're being rail roaded into using the Earthquake Commission's preferred builders when it comes to earthquake repairs.
The University of Canterbury has put one-hundred-and-fifty jobs on the line as it tries to recover from the Christchurch earthquakes.
An report into EQC finds it was poorly prepared for the Canterbury earthquakes. Quarantined travelers have moved before 14 days. Anna Thomas has the news.
More than five people have died on crashes on SH1 between Picton and Christchurch since it became a main arterial route following the Kaikoura earthquake.
So what's the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern got to look forward to when she's back at work? Construction firms falling over, business confidence at a nine-year low, unemployment rising and New Zealand is desperate need of infrastructure to cope with its 10 percent population shock in the last five years. Welcome back Ms Ardern! Ebert Construction is the latest construction company to go belly-up. The Panelists consider why, when the country needs new buildings the most, construction companies aren't making the grade? Peter Silcock of Civil Contractors talks bout the failing of processes and business models used by building firms. Christchurch central seems to have a business micro-climate. And right now it's chilly. The CBD is nothing like it used to be before the 2011 earthquake and those businesses that re-opened say they really had no choice because of the demands of insurance companies. The Kingsland Business Society in Auckland is offering free child minding for couples who go out for the evening in the suburb. United States federal air marshals now follow seemingly ordinary citizens not suspected of a crime, nor on any terrorist watch list. It's a new surveillance programme called "Quiet Skies" and it collects extensive information on travellers based on their behaviour on flights and especailly in airports.
Despite being homeless following the February earthquake, the Canterbury Crusaders have made it through to the finals of the Super Rugby tournament.
The Government seems likely to face higher costs as it looks to strengthen the country's infrastructure in the wake of the Canterbury earthquakes.
The Earthquake Commission has been labelled obstructive after it demanded 24 thousand dollars to provide documents under an Official Information Act request.
It all started two years ago today at 4:36 in the morning, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook Canterbury.
The Serious Fraud Office has launched it's first investigation into earthquake insurance fraud in Christchurch which could involve tens of millions of dollars.
The earthquake was felt as far afield as Te Awamutu and Christchurch, with residents from all the places in between describing it as extremely frightening.
More than 18 months since the Canterbury earthquakes the rental property shortage continues to worsen, and there are predictions it won't be easing anytime soon.
The Earthquake Commission says 95 percent of the invoices it gets from contractors repairing houses in Christchurch are paid out within two to three weeks.
The plumbing industry says there is festering discontent in Christchurch, over what it calls unnecessary red tape from the Earthquake Commission.
Thirty to fourty jobs are to go at the Christchurch department store, Ballantynes, because of earthquake damage to it's central city shop.
The Christchurch City Council has been questioned over whether it was playing russian roulette with its citizens with its rules on earthquake prone buildings.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee is defending the time it's taking to get robust information for a full report on the matter.
Christchurch poet Jeffrey Paparoa Holman whose new collection Shaken Down 6.3 looks at the impacts and aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes. It's published by Canterbury University Press.
The Christchurch couple told they can't use part of their property because the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) might need access to it.
The Labour Party wrapped up its Canterbury Recovery Package in Christchurch today, announcing it would appoint qualified locals to govern the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.
The country's building regulator admits it needs a major overhaul after years scrambling just to react to leaky homes and the Canterbury and KaikÅura earthquakes.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister says Christchurch City Council must take responsibility for the city's flooding problems as it's not the government's problem to sort out.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister is denying that Christchurch flooding has become worse since the quakes, and says it's not the government's mess to fix.
The Canterbury Women's Club had their first function since the 22nd Feburary 2011 earthquake last weekend, we speak with their president Margaret Arnald as the club celebrates it's 101st anniversary.
A Christchurch earthquake insurance specialist says a critical report of the Earthquake Commission is a good start but doesn't go far enough. The report by an independent ministerial advisor says EQC staff have no confidence in their own data, and that the organisation needs to dramatically improve the way it communicates with claimants. The advisor, Christine Stevenson, said EQC was unable even to tell her how many claims it's still dealing with from the Canterbury earthquakes. Dean Lester is a Christchurch insurance advocate and claims preparer. He talks to Susie Ferguson.
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.
When the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes struck, the region was hit with disaster on an unprecedented scale and the health system was challenged like never before. The injured needed immediate treatment, buildings and equipment were badly damaged, and yet those working in health system rallied to keep it going. Emergency Medicine specialist Dr Mike Ardagh and independent science writer Dr Joanne Deely have written a book, Rising from the Rubble, which tells the stories of those who were part of the health system response, and a record of the long-term issues that have been caused by it.