The first passenger train from Piction to Christchurch since the devastating Kaikōura earthquake has arrived in the Garden City - Kathy Templeman was on board and says it was an emotional experience.
The government has announced a new "hub" offering a bunch of separate services to Christchurch locals with ongoing earthquake-related problems.
The government is hoping a new one-stop shop will help homeowners in Canterbury still struggling with insurance claims, but as Logan Church reports, this isn't the first initiative of its kind in the quake-rattled city.
In 1978 world-class motorcycle designer John Britten bought a derelict stable block in Christchurch and painstakingly converted it into a home where he raised his family and built his revolutionary V1000 motorbike. The family continued to live there after his death in 1995, but were forced to abandon it when it sustained serious damage during the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. After sitting broken and empty for six years, Isabelle Weston, John's eldest daughter, and her husband Tim undertook to restore and revamp the house with a view to running it as a B&B. The story of their epic project features in the first episode of Grand Designs New Zealand series four, which premieres on TV3, on October 3..
Primary and intermediate teachers marching in Christchurch echoed the message of their colleagues further north - they also want pay increases and improved working conditions. But they say that their classrooms are even more complex as they continue to deal with the effects of the earthquakes - and the associated trauma.
Liam takes a work trip to Christchurch. Iris gets a part-time job but before she can start she gets a call from the school about Billy's reaction to an earthquake drill.
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.
Displaced residents of Merivale Retirement village in Christchurch were told that they need to move out by April 1. A new facility that has replaced the earthquake damaged one won't have enough beds for everyone. The CEO of Age Concern Canterbury Simon Templeton talks about what measures are in place to look after these vulnerable elderly people.
Its budget may have blown out by almost a third more than the original figure, but this weekend the doors to the Christchurch Town Hall will re-open for the first time since the 2011 earthquakes. It was touch and go whether the 47 year-old building would even be repaired after the 6.2 quake eight years ago today. 167-million-dollars later and the city is finally getting its town hall back. Conan Young was allowed inside for a sneak peak ahead of Saturday's official opening.
An experiment to see if the cast of a play can make friends with their audience in just an hour is the latest project by the country's only theatre company involving people who are - or have been - homeless. As part of the Auckland Fringe Festival, the Hobson Street Theatre Company is working with the Street Choir on That's What Friends Are For.: It's directed by Dr Peter O'Connor from the University of Auckland. He's worked with survivors of natural disasters like the Christchurch earthquakes to help people - especially children - work through the trauma. Lynn Freeman talks with Peter, and with one of the actors, Richard. That's What Friends Are For premieres on Tuesday at the Basement Theatre as part of the Auckland Fringe, before heading to the fringe festivals in Wellington and Dunedin.
One of the biggest sporting occasions for NZ's Nepalese community takes place this weekend. Nepali-based soccer teams from all around the country are vying for the big prize in the annual Tenzing Hillary Cup Football Tournament . Seven teams took part in Christchurch in 2017. This year it's Auckland's turn to host eight teams, with over 700 spectators expected over the next 2 days. It's organised by local Nepalese Associations, who are also involved in raising cash for earthquake recovery projects back home. Lynn Freeman speaks with organiser Ramesh Gurung and Peter Gibbs, from the Office of the Nepalese Consulate in NZ.
Red Cross aid worker Rosemarie North is in the Banten province of Java where authorities have lifted the alert level for the Anak Krakatau volcano to its second-highest level. She has worked on and off for the Red Cross since 2003 in all kinds of situations, including post-conflict in Sierra Leone, landslides in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, refugee camps in Chad, earthquakes in Nepal and Christchurch, and tsunamis in Southeast Asia and Samoa. [image_crop:72149:full]
Christchurch is preparing to welcome the first refugees to settle in the city since the 2010 earthquake, but it needs more volunteers to help them transition into their new lives.
On the day when the second Christchurch earthquake struck, Andy and Amber Cleverley were trapped at the top of the Grand Chancellor Hotel with an American man they only knew as Jeremy.
The beloved Christchurch Arts Centre - built in the 1870s - has slowly been reopening after repairs and restoration. An open day last weekend saw the public getting their first look into the complex's school of art building since the earthquakes. One beneficiary has been singer-songwriter Bic Runga, who has kick-started the Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora's revived Creative Residencies programme. She tells Mark Amery she's been trying out all sorts of new things. Applications for Bic's song-writing workshop in Christchurch in early July close on Friday 31 May.
Major Australian law firm Maurice Blackburn has agreed to underwrite a class action law suit against Southern Response seeking redress for Canterbury earthquake claimants. Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron says "hidden costs" led to significant underpayments to about 3000 people. Maurice Blackburn is a law firm which specialises in class actions, its principal lawyer Martin Hyde joins Kathryn, along with Grant Cameron, to talk about why they think they have a strong case.
Central Christchurch restaurant and bars say they could be heading into the "worst winter to date". Eight years on from the earthquakes there are more restaurants and bars in the city than ever before - but owners say there aren't enough customers. Now they're grappling with added uncertainty over the effect of the mosque attacks on visitor numbers.
At the 2018 Word Christchurch writers' festival, Chessie Henry (and GP father Chris) discusses her family memoir We Can Make a Life with Bronywn Hayward.
Almost half the ACC applications made for mental injuries caused by the Christchurch mosque attacks have been turned down. By the end of April, 85 people had made claims for mental injuries and thirty-five of them had been declined. Decisions are pending on another 25 claims. A woman who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and didn't qualify for ACC, says that's tragic. Kirsty Cullen says leaving people who have psychological problems without support from ACC is history repeating. Veronica Schmidt reports.
The EQC Minister says she is concerned a threatening letter sent to the Earthquake Commission may have been sent by the same person who sent staff a bullet in the post two years ago. Police are investigating an anonymous threat in a letter sent to EQC staff on the 1st of May. The threat made reference to the Christchurch mosque attacks and has forced EQC to increase security at all its offices. Indira spoke with insurance advocate of 26 years, Dean Lester.
Police are investigating the origins of a letter which threatened Earthquake Commission staff and referred to the Christchurch mosque shootings. The Earthquake Commission has heightened security at all its offices in response. Renée Walker is EQC's deputy chief executive. She talks to Susie Ferguson.
The Prime Minister prepares for the Christchurch Call Summit in Paris saying governments need to protect their citizens from radicalisation, Police investigate who sent a threatening letter to the Earthquake Commission, A powerful 7.5 magnitude quake strikes PNG overnight.
TE URUROA FLAVELL to the Minister of Conservation: Does he agree with Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Jan Wright, that joint decision-making with the Minister for Energy and Resources on mining the conservation estate undermines the role of the Minister of Conservation as guardian of that estate, and how will he respond to her advice to Parliament that conservation should take precedence? Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that "for most New Zealanders an indicator of how well the economy is doing is whether or not they can keep up with the cost of living"; if so, is he satisfied that they currently can? Hon TAU HENARE to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on inequality in New Zealand, and how do recent changes in trends compare to other countries? Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with BERL that "outside of dairy and forestry, export receipts have effectively flatlined since April 2009" and that "The risks inherent in such a narrowing of our export base should be of concern to all"; if not, why not? Dr CAM CALDER to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What announcements has he made about the Māori and Pasifika Trades Training initiative? Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's decisions? PAUL FOSTER-BELL to the Minister of Housing: What progress has he made with local government in securing Housing Accords under the legislation passed last year, and how are they increasing the supply and affordability of housing? Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: What was the original forecast cost for Health Benefits Limited and what is the revised forecast cost now, if any? MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made on the Government's $359 million investment to raise student achievement? Hon RUTH DYSON to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: How much has the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority spent on legal fees in the last 3 years? DENIS O'ROURKE to the Minister of Transport: When will the Government provide a comprehensive and integrated land transport plan for New Zealand? PAUL GOLDSMITH to the Minister of Revenue: What is the objective of the Government's recently announced Taxpayer's Simplification Panel?
The old Ngaio Marsh theatre at the University of Canterbury was one of the many casualties of the earthquakes.The Student Association is encouraging people who performed on stage or helped out behind the scenes to buy a seat for the replacement Ngaio Marsh Theatre. Lynn Freeman talks with the UCSA president Sam Brosnahan about the project.
It's been a long road to recovery for one of Christchurch's biggest post-quake projects. Eight years after the route connecting Sumner to Lyttleton was blocked off by the earthquakes, the road through Evans Pass will reopen on Friday. Sumner residents will now have a second route into the suburb, as well as a renewed connection to Lyttleton. Sara Templeton is the councillor for Heathcote Ward, which covers Sumner, and speaks to Guyon Espiner.
After years of disruption caused by the Christchurch earthquakes, two schools have finally started moving into their new state of the art facilities. Avonside Girls' High School and Shirley Boys' High School have begun moving students into their new shared but separate campus on the grounds of the old QEII Park in north New Brighton. Some of the features include, a moveable gym, bike stands with spanners and air pumps, and a rock climbing wall. It will be the first time in New Zealand two single-sex schools have been on the same site. Guyon Espiner speaks to Avonside Girls' High principal Sue Hume and Shirley Boys' High School principal John Laurenson.
Christchurch homeowner Bob Burnett says lengthy delays in resolving his earthquake insurance claim is destroying his finances and affecting his kids' health. He's calling for a Royal Commission into the conduct of the insurance sector.
The Duke of Cambridge will meet with survivors of the mosque attacks and members of the public during his second day in Christchurch today. Prince William is visiting the city to pay respects to the survivors of the massacre and those first on the scene on March the 15th. He'll also lay a wreath at the Canterbury earthquake memorial.
It might feel like the Christchurch earthquakes struck a lifetime ago, but the city and its residents are still recovering, both physically and mentally.
The question of secrecy looms large over the newly announced Royal Commission into the country's security agencies. Nigel Hampton QC is a lawyer with extensive experience of top-level inquiries, including the Royal Commissions in the Pike River disaster and the Canterbury earthquakes. He talks to Guyon Espiner.