Radio NZ's Vicki McKay among those honoured at an awards ceremony in Christchurch for heroism, service or acts of kindness by organisations and individuals during the Canterbury earthquakes.
The last unidentified victims of the Christchurch earthquake have been laid to rest in a ceremony in Christchurch.
When the new Canterbury Earthquake Memorial was revealed last month, something unusual happened for a work of public art. It was universally appreciated! Christchurch filmmaker Rick Harvie has documented the two year long project from seeking submissions though to the official ceremony. Rick tells Lynn Freeman he's about to put his now finished documentary, including footage of the ceremony and feedback from a range of people, online.
Several earthquake volunteers, including those who helped deliver more than 400 tonnes of food to hard hit suburbs, have been recognised at a ceremony in the Canterbury town of Kaiapoi.
Today marks 10 years since the February earthquake claimed 185 lives. RNZ's Christchurch reporter, Rachel Graham, was at the Canterbury Earthquake Memorial site for the official ceremony and spoke to Māni Dunlop.
A memorial service for the 166 victims of the Christchurch earthquake has been held at Westminster Abbey. Attended by the Prince of Wales and the High Commissioner for New Zealander, the ceremony was led by the Dean of Westminster.
Te Pae, Christchurch's near $450 million convention centre, has been officially opened this afternoon with a pōwhiri and unveiling by Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Minister Megan Woods. Billed as a legacy for the city, it replaces the old centre which was demolished following the Canterbury earthquakes. Niva Chittock is at the ceremony and joins Lisa with the details.
A review of the week's news including: Last frantic days of Election '11, a High Court judge refuses to rule on the "teacup tape", 2,000 attend Pike River Mine ceremony on first anniversary of explosions, former Pike River employee tells Royal Commission he warned of explosion "at any time", record numbers of New Zealanders heading to Australia, operation to remove containers from Rena battles high winds, Christchurch people to walk through city centre for first time since February's earthquake and Takamore case heads back to High Court.
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.
The famous evangelist preacher, Billy Graham, has died age 99. Salvation is the topic of today's half-time discussion on The Panel. Julia Hartley Moore and James Nokise each have topics they want to talk about. One of the heroes from the Christchurch earthquake gives his take on where the city is at today and what needs to be done. Will beer-wine be a terrible idea or will it kick off? Worst. Olympian. Ever... with full stops between the words. That is a real Twitter-sryle putdown. It's alluding to Hungarian halfpipe skier Elizabeth Swaney. This year's New Zealander of the year will be announced at an award ceremony in Auckland tonight. It's between Mike King, Kristine Bartlett and Dr Siouxsie Wiles.
A review of the week's news, including... Maori across the country accepting a challenge set by the Maori King to battle the Government over water rights, the Government says Labour's new education policies are flawed, expensive and unnecessary while it's being accused of exploiting the Christchurch earthquakes to force through sweeping changes to schools in the city, Tuhoe is to get 170-million dollars in compensation and more control over Te Urewera National Park in its settlement with the Crown for historical grievances, hundreds of angry and stunned paper mill workers in Kawerau are in limbo over how many will lose their jobs with Norske Skog announcing its halving production, the shotputter Valerie Adams will receive her gold medal in a public ceremony in Auckland on Wednesday, details from of the police investigation into John Bank's mayoral campaign donations have been made public, a man who helped his chronically ill wife commit suicide has broken down in tears after being discharged without conviction and Invercargill has rolled out the red carpet in style, hosting the world premiere of New Zealand's latest feature film.
A review of the week's news including... An immigration lawyer says 'paying for jobs' is so rampant in New Zealand there needs to be a fresh look at powers available to officials, criminals are using sex to blackmail Indian male students, Auckland lays out its plan to spend 83 billion dollars on transport, the electrified section of the main trunk line between Auckland and Wellington could be mothballed, frustrated advocates are calling for better reporting of suicides committed by current and former members of the military, doctors say making voluntary euthanasia legal would involve many complex and difficult decisions and New Zealand should avoid it, the Morning Report Wellington mayoral candidates debate, a Maori fisheries body wants the Maori Party to abandon its support for the Government if plans for a Kermadec ocean sanctuary go ahead unchanged, Maori representation becomes a virtual no-go area for those vying for public office in New Plymouth, Colin Craig denies ever sending his former press secretary explicit text messages, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child raises concerns about the naming of the new children's ministry, MPs hear emotional pleas from the family of soldiers killed in action and buried in Malaysia for the government to bring their remains home, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform in Christchurch on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the Canterbury earthquakes this summer and Prince Charles praises New Zealand soldiers who fought at the Somme at a centennary ceremony in Northern France.