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.
A review of the week's news: Another earthquake in Christchurch, Prime Minister tight-lipped over what land will be abandoned because of repeated earthquake damage, volcanic ash cloud strands thousands of air passengers, tragic death of teen reignites debate over alcohol reform, problem gambling advocate objects to proposed casino expansion, wool the star at Fieldays and New Zealanders flock to the ballet.
Thirty-four years ago, Spectrum producer Jack Perkins recorded his award-winning documentary capturing the life, the sounds and the personalities of Cathedral square in Christchurch. In this edition of The Vault, Deborah Nation parallels that experience with the sounds of 2011 as she is escorted through the earthquake Red Zone into the square as it is today.
Relatives of the victims of February's earthquake in Christchurch are backing a new police inquiry into how people were rescued in the aftermath of the disaster.
Christchurch residents who've finally been allowed in to the earthquake ravaged inner-city redzone say the devastation was far worse than they had ever imagined.
It's Canterbury's annual Cup and Show week. Organisers say the event has extra prominence this year, as the region's been robbed of many major events because of the damage to venues in the September and February earthquakes.
The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission will hear this week that the cost of upgrading the city's unreinforced masonry buildings is more than the buildings are worth.
An additional 300 people could have died in the February 22nd earthquake in Christchurch, if it wasn't for the earlier quake in September.
The Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes continues today, with overseas experts critiquing a New Zealand report that calls for a two-billion dollar upgrade to strengthen earthquake-prone buildings.
Alison Wilson has run stitching and dressmaking courses in Christchurch for 60 years! At 78 she is still going, with a weekly embroidery course that gives Christchurch women a reprieve from the chaos of the earthquakes. With Alison Wilson, Gina Walsh and Lola Grocott.
The Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes has heard evidence questioning the measure used to judge how resistant a building is to earthquake damage. It's come on the second day of hearings into why unreinforced masonry buildings collapsed in Christchurch during the February 22nd earthquake, killing 40 people.
A Christchurch businessman has told the Earthquake Royal Commission the city council was a nightmare to deal with when he was trying to strengthen his building before the September quake.
Earthquakes disrupted schooling in Canterbury this year, but the region's teenagers can rest assured they will not be rattled by unexpected references to quakes in this year's NCEA and Scholarship exams.
The Green Party has spelt out how it would impose an earthquake levy on higher earning taxpayers, to fund the rebuild of Christchurch, if it becomes part of the next Government.
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 government has been told to rein in competition between Christchurch schools and create hubs where they can cooperate. The call comes in some of the 230 submissions the government has received to help it draw up a plan for the renewal of education in the city in the wake of February's devastating earthquake.
National says campaign on track despite focus on Key; Radio New Zealand political editor discusses campaign; Don Brash says his leadership is solid; Pike River anniversary service 'will be non-political'; Auckland protesters may receive trespass notices today; Martin Johnson quits as England rugby coach; Earthquake documentary opens in Christchurch cinemas.
In Christchurch the Court Theatre is about to reopen, more than nine months after the earthquake ruined its inner city premises. The country's most successful professional theatre, which used to be in the 19th century gothic style Arts Centre, has moved to a shed in the suburbs.
After the devastating effects on Christchurch, we are all aware of the damage earthquakes can cause. But in New Zealand, a tsunami could be just as damaging. University of Auckland engineers Asaad Shamseldin and PhD student Reza Shafiei are creating waves in the lab to work out how safe our buildings are, if a tsunami hits. Ruth Beran goes to visit them.
Christchurch earthquake costs shake Tower's bottom line.
Sarah McMullan reviews 'When A City Falls', a documentary about the Christchurch earthquakes.
Part of the Kiwi brain drain to Australia, Christchurch artist Mike Hewson prepares to show his new countrymen the impact of the earthquakes on his hometown and his art.
The Labour party candidates in two of the closest-run election seats, Christchurch Central, and Waimakariri are refusing to accept defeat.
The Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes continues today with the focus on the Pyne Gould Corporation building, where 18 people were killed.
Surviors of the collapsed Pyne Gould building in Christchurch where 18 people died in February's earthquake have today relived their experiences on that day.
Pyne Gould building tenants in Christchurch have told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquakes hearing they didn't feel safe there after the September quake.
The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard the property manager of the Pyne Gould building did not organise detailed engineering assessments after the first quake in September.
Some Christchurch schools are so worried about the impact of February's earthquake on their students that they want special consideration to be given in their exam marks.
Rolleston is a town in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, just outside the Christchurch City boundary. It was close to the epicenter of the September earthquake last year, but suffered little damage because it sits on very stable rock.
Since the earthquake in February the university has faced spiralling insurance costs and a decline in student enrolments. Now 24 staff have agreed to voluntary redundancy effective next year and the vice chancellor, Rod Carr, says despite that, it's largely business as usual.
