Our managed isolation hotels are too posh and returnees should not be treated like hotel guests with luxuries like free menu choices and drycleaning. That's the verdict from New Zealand woman Toni Foster who has returned to the country to take up a job and has spent the past 11 days in isolation at Ellerslie's Novotel Hotel. Toni says she had expected to return to isolation in accommodation similar to the container village after the Christchurch earthquakes - not a free four or five star hotel which she said some returnees were treating as a holiday. She says returnees should not be treated like hotel guests because they're not paying a cent to be there.
Topics - scientists are wondering how the light gets out. Maybe there is a cosmic crack in everything, because in the Journal Astrophysical Letters it is noted that there is a huge deficit of light in the universe. Owners of heritage apartments in Auckland face becoming "impoverished" according to a high-profile real estate figure, because of new laws around earthquake strengthening. Martin Dunn of City Sales says the Building Amendment Bill is "overkill". He says those trying to sell heritage apartments are having a difficult time because of the new rules. Jim Anderton, has again raised the issue of whether the Christchurch Cathedral has to come down.
Ravenscar House Museum holds an extraordinary, previously private art collection. The new building has been gifted to Christchurch by art collectors Susan Wakefield and her late husband Jim. The art remains in the ownership of the Ravenscar Trust. Artists in the collection include Colin McCahon, Bill Sutton and Frances Hodgkins. The treasures were previously in the Wakefield's Christchurch home which suffered irreparable earthquake damage. They're now displayed in the purpose-designed and built Ravenscar House Museum in the city's Arts precinct. The story of the art and artefacts is told in in the book - Ravenscar House: A Biography, written by Christchurch journalist and writer Sally Blundell.
Gulls are well known for swooping in and flogging food off your plate or picnic and now they are making a complete menace of themselves in Christchurch's New Regent street. Local businesses are being over-run by the red and black-billed gulls that are nesting on the rooves of buildings along the street, swooping and pooping all over the place. It's not the first time they've invaded, they started breeding in 2019 in an earthquake damaged building on the corner of Armagh and New Regent streets. The problem is both the red and black-billed gulls are protected. Casey Alderson from Belle Cafe spoke to Lisa Owen.
MARK PATTERSON to the Minister of Defence: What progress has been made on the coalition Government’s commitment to expand the Limited Service Volunteer Scheme?
Hon SIMON BRIDGES to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government’s policies and actions?
KIRITAPU ALLAN to the Minister of Finance: What discussions did he have on economic issues on his trip to South Korea and Singapore?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE to the Minister of Finance: Does he still intend for all new capital expenditure in Budget 2018 to fit within the $3.4 billion capital allowance as stated in the 2018 Budget Policy Statement?
Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Does he stand by all his statements on the proposed Kiwibuild programme?
GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN to the Minister of Statistics: How is this year’s census different from previous years?
MELISSA LEE to the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media: Does she believe it is important for State-owned broadcasters to be independent?
JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister for Regional Economic Development: Does he stand by all the decisions and statements he has made regarding the Provincial Growth Fund?
Dr DUNCAN WEBB to the Minister responsible for the Earthquake Commission: What steps has she taken to speed up the fair resolution of outstanding claims relating to the Christchurch earthquakes that occurred seven years ago?
Hon NATHAN GUY to the Minister of Agriculture: Does he stand by all of his statements and actions?
Hon MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Defence: Does he stand by all his statements?
JO LUXTON to the Minister of Education: What concerns does he have about the future provision of vocational education in New Zealand’s regions?
A heritage advocate says he is over the moon to see a special piece of this country's history restored for future generations to enjoy. Three second world war era gun emplacements have been officially opened at Godley Head near Christchurch. The concrete bunkers and network of tunnels were badly damaged in the 2011 earthquakes and have only now been repaired and had screeds of graffiti removed. At the height of the war, the guns at the entry to Lyttelton Harbour were home to two thousand army personnel. They were the main defence from an anticipated Japanese invasion. The Godley Heads Heritage Trust chair, Peter Wilkins, told Conan Young the restored emplacements will ensure this history is never forgotten.
Repatriation, innovation, virtual reality and other digital opportunities and issues around earthquake strengthening buildings will all come up for debate next weekend at our museums' national conference in Christchurch. The MA18 Conference brings together several hundred museum leaders to talk about a time of rapid change in how museums display their taonga and how they reach out to their communities. Lynn Freeman spoke to Phillipa Tocker who's the Executive Director of Museums Aotearoa, and to one of the guest speakers, futurist Kaila Colbin who's curator of TEDxChristchurch and TEDxScottBase, co-founder and Chair of the Ministry of Awesome and a director of ChristchurchNZ which is responsible for tourism, major events and economic development in the city.
The Maori King has called a national hui for iwi and hapu to discuss water rights after the government refused to call one; A member of the Iwi Chairs Forum says it might be time for the Maori Council to step aside from the water rights debate; The Whanganui River Maori Trust Board says it's satisfied with how its Treaty of Waitangi negotiations with the Crown are progressing, saying the Government's taking into account the iwi's unique circumstances; A Maori broadcaster who was living in Christchurch during many of the earthquakes says she tried hard to put whanau at ease while she was on-air, but admits it was tough remaining calm during the many aftershocks.
The Maori King has called a national hui for iwi and hapu to discuss water rights after the government refused to call one; A member of the Iwi Chairs Forum says it might be time for the Maori Council to step aside from the water rights debate; The Whanganui River Maori Trust Board says it's satisfied with how its Treaty of Waitangi negotiations with the Crown are progressing, saying the Government's taking into account the iwi's unique circumstances; A Maori broadcaster who was living in Christchurch during many of the earthquakes says she tried hard to put whanau at ease while she was on-air, but admits it was tough remaining calm during the many aftershocks.
UAVs or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones as they’re commonly known, are suddenly everywhere. Conservationists and academics are using them to map our rivers; engineers surveyed the interior of the earthquake damaged Christchurch Cathedral with one; and then, of course, there's the military drones used to such lethal affect in Pakistan and Yemen. Ideas visits Palmerston North's Skycam UAV – New Zealand's leading manufacture of UAVs; talks to the interim president of the Association of Unmanned Operations – a union of US drone pilots; and Professor James Cavallaro tells us about the findings of a report he co-authored: 'Living Under Drones: Death, Injury, and Trauma to Civilians from US Drone Practices in Pakistan'.
As a three-year-old in China, Quin Tang's mother was shot in front of her and her father taken away. After moving to Christchurch 25 years ago, she walked out of an abusive marriage with two young children, no money and speaking little English. Tang then attended Canterbury University, teaching herself to read English from the text books there. She attained four degrees with an A+ average, and began working as a psychiatrist and counsellor. Quin was working in the CTV building when it collapsed. She took two weeks off work to recover, then came back and began counselling other victims of the Christchurch earthquakes. She has written and self-published the story of her life, called Half a Walnut Tree.
Topics - Katy Perry opened the ceremony in Los Angeles with a Japanese-themed performance of Unconditionally, dressed as a Geisha. Within minutes, fans and viewers were accusing her of racism. A citizens initiated referendum on the sale of state assets is in full swing. The referendum isn't binding on the Government, in fact the Government has already promised to ignore it. Newly published research shows that the Canterbury earthquakes were even more unusual than first thought, with such a sequence unlikely to occur anywhere else in the world. The research, published this week in Nature Geoscience, challenges the common assumption that the strength of the Earth's crust is constant.
Topics - Twelve charges laid against the former Pike River Coal chief executive Peter Whittall in relation to the 2010 disaster at the mine have been dropped. In a shock development in the Christchurch District Court today, the Crown said that after an extensive review it was "not appropriate to continue with the prosecution against Mr Whittall''. More than half of the 2.15 million KiwiSaver members are either not contributing to the retirement scheme or not saving enough to collect the $521 annual tax credit from the Government, according to the Inland Revenue Department. The number of people with dire needs on Housing New Zealand's waiting list has tripled since the Christchurch earthquakes.
Topics - The Gettysburg address, the short speech given by Abraham Lincoln 150 years ago today, the finest short speech in the English language, and one of the great political utterances of all time. A strong earthquake that hit Christchurch last night has been upgraded by GNS Science to a magnitude 4.6. It was also shallower than first believed, with GNS reporting it was 8km deep rather than 11km. Wallabies rugby coach Ewen McKenzie has made no apologies for suspending six of his players in what's been described as "a hard-line move designed to set the standards required to win the 2015 World Cup".
Before the earthquakes, Sarah Miles ran a psychotherapy practice in Christchurch. During the recovery phase she was astounded to find that when it comes to issues of real importance to the citizens â€" welfare, policyholder protection, economic security and education â€" politicians are conveniently deaf, dumb and blind. She’s written a book intended to expose the Government and the insurance industry's failure, she says, to protect the citizens of Christchurch and draw attention to the need for change to ensure that there is not a repeat of what she describes as the fiasco that happened in her city. Sarah Miles’ book, The Christchurch Fiasco â€" Insurance Aftershock and its Implications for New Zealand and Beyond, is published by Dunmore Publishing.
Before the earthquakes, Sarah Miles ran a psychotherapy practice in Christchurch. During the recovery phase she was astounded to find that when it comes to issues of real importance to the citizens - welfare, policyholder protection, economic security and education - politicians are conveniently deaf, dumb and blind. She’s written a book intended to expose the Government and the insurance industry's failure, she says, to protect the citizens of Christchurch and draw attention to the need for change to ensure that there is not a repeat of what she describes as the fiasco that happened in her city. Sarah Miles’ book, The Christchurch Fiasco - Insurance Aftershock and its Implications for New Zealand and Beyond, is published by Dunmore Publishing.
Before the earthquakes, Sarah Miles ran a psychotherapy practice in Christchurch. During the recovery phase she was astounded to find that when it comes to issues of real importance to the citizens - welfare, policyholder protection, economic security and education - politicians are conveniently deaf, dumb and blind. She's written a book intended to expose the Government and the insurance industry's failure, she says, to protect the citizens of Christchurch and draw attention to the need for change to ensure that there is not a repeat of what she describes as the fiasco that happened in her city. Sarah Miles' book, The Christchurch Fiasco - Insurance Aftershock and its Implications for New Zealand and Beyond, is published by Dunmore Publishing.
It's been a long, long wait but Christchurch's Arts Centre finally has a contemporary art gallery space again - and it's just opened. It's the latest 'reveal' in the Arts Centre post-earthquake rebuild. The new gallery's called The Central and is housed in the original Canterbury College Library. Four Christchurch families and gallerist Jonathan Smart have made it happen and artists including local sculptor Neil Dawson, photographer Peter Peryer, glitter specialist Reuben Patterson and painter Dick Frizzell are in the mix for the opening group show. There are some new names there too. Lynn Freeman speaks to The Central's Jonathan Smart and Ngai Tahu artist Lonnie Hutchinson who has work in the opening show.
One Christchurch business has found just the right ingredients to rise again."The Naked Baker"gave away all of their cakes and buns and baked goods to the people of North Brighton after the earthquake on February 22nd. Co-owners Darren Carlaw and Andrew Snee started the bakery, coffee roastery and mobile food business 8 years ago. The cafe had to shut for more than 2 weeks to clean up all the damage . They didn't know what to expect when the business re-opened. What they discovered is that business is up by 30% thanks in part to their ability to bring their coffee and cakes to the many offices that have moved out of the center of town.
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.
Highlights from Radio New Zealand National's programmes for the week ending Friday 17th June. This week..........barely two weeks after Canterbury was warned of a one in four chance of a big earthquake striking within a year, Christchurch residents are dealing with the effects of two major aftershocks that hit the region on Monday, and homeowners in the city are calling for the government to reveal which quake hit suburbs will be abandoned, Mediawatch looks at the "sideshow syndrome" that exists in media coverage of politics , the life-forms that exist in the seemingly barren ice in antarctica, and a photographer who'se taken portaits of some of the most powerful men on the planet.
Members of a King Country iwi occupying one of the Crafar farms near Benneydale say they fear the Government may offer them back Landcorp farms, which have absolutely no connection to the iwi; The Chairman of Bay of Plenty's Economic Development organisation wants to see concrete results in two to three years, from a strategy which aims to develop Maori assets in the region; The Minister of Maori Affairs, Dr Pita Sharples, says he pushed to have a Maori presence at the Rugby World Cup - because tangata whenua didn't even get a look in during the America's Cup in 2000; Almost a year since the Christchurch earthquake, the Nagi Tahui leader is urging locals to continue sticking together.
The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board in Auckland wants Parliament to amend a Treaty Settlement Bill for Ngati Whatua o Orakei, to exclude what's called the Tamaki block of just over three hectares of land at Narrow Neck; Taranaki Maori are being called to a Treaty Update hui this weekend - to keep abreast of tribal claims against the Crown; Maori Wardens have fronted up to a researcher looking at how the Christchurch earthquake has affected emergency workers; The winner of the Golden Shears Open Women's Title for 2012 says she's keen to keep competiting for a few more years yet and hopes she can inspire more wool handlers to get to her level and to prove that it is achievable.
Highlights from Radio New Zealand National's programmes for the week ending Friday 6th April. This week... we look at the commercial deals some media personalities are making these days, a documentary on the history of New Zealand's psychiatric hospitals, a new social phenomenon - the increasing number of people who choose to live alone, a new book and interesting findings about our national icon the kiwi, With the aid of advanced functional MRI scanners, scientists are getting closer to being able to read your mind, the opening of a public art project by the Christchurch Art Gallery to try and ensure art continues to have a presence in the earthquake hit city.
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.
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..
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.
Survivors of our biggest national disasters say new guidelines will better supporting families in the wake of future tragedies.
The new "Public Service Commission Model Standards" - to be released at parliament today - addresses what survivors say have been consistent shortcomings in the treatment by government agencies of those most closely affected by disaster.
The standards were co-authored by the Pike River Families Group after consulting with families of survivors caught up with events such as the earthquake and mosque shootings in Christchurch, the Aramoana massacre, the Cave Creek platform collapse and the Whakaari White Island eruption.
Sonya Rockhouse, who lost her son Ben in the Pike River mine explosion 12 years ago, spoke to Corin Dann.
Professor Lucy Easthope is one of the world's foremost disaster planners. Her first major job in emergency planning was responding to 9/11 and since then, her career has covered almost every major disaster; the Boxing Day tsunami, the London bombings, the Christchurch earthquakes, the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shot down over Ukraine, the Grenfell Tower fire, Covid-19 and many more. It's her job to help get the bodies identified, repatriate survivors, return personal effects, look after the bereaved, and advise governments for the future. She speaks to Kathryn about her memoir, When the Dust Settles: Stories of Love, Loss and Hope from an Expert in Disaster.
EQC was ill-prepared to deal with the wide spread damage of the Christchurch Earthquakes and as a consequence its reputation been left in tatters with many seeing the commission as uncaring, miserly and inefficient.
That is according to the findings of the inquiry into EQC and its handling of quake claims in Canterbury and Kaikōura.
Inquiry Chair Dame Silvia Cartwright lays out a raft of inadequacies including EQC not being equiped to handle a mass scale managed repair programme - leading to multiple mistakes, poor staffing decisions and inadequate quality control.
Damage assessments were the root of claimants disputes time and time again.
Dame Silvia Cartwright described to Checkpoint the way claimants have been treated by EQC.
