The Australian-owned, ANZ Bank, is betting small and medium sized firms will drive earnings next year, bolstered by the Rugby World Cup and rebuilding of the earthquake-hit Canterbury region.
Deborah Nation dusts off a series of recordings made with successive generations of a Canterbury lineage whose family homestead was one of the casualties of the earthquake on 4 September 2010 .
Royal Commission hearings into the Canterbury earthquakes started in Christchurch today, with a indication that questions will be raised about whether some of those trapped in collapsed buildings could have survived.
NUK KORAKO to the Minister of Finance: How does New Zealand’s growing economy and the Government’s commitment to responsible fiscal management mean New Zealand is well-placed to respond to the Kaikōura earthquake? ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Has he spoken to relevant Ministers about the lessons learned from the Canterbury earthquakes to ensure people affected by the recent earthquakes have an easier and faster recovery? STUART SMITH to the Minister of Civil Defence: What update can he provide about the Government’s response to the Kaikōura earthquake? RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Can he update the House on the situation in quake-affected areas in the South Island? JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Is he committed to all his Government’s policies? Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement that following the Valentine’s Day earthquake this year in Canterbury, “it was timely to review whether any additional mental health and wellbeing support was needed”; if so, will he consider reviewing whether any additional support is needed for Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough district health boards as a result of the recent earthquakes? JACQUI DEAN to the Minister of Transport: What updates has he received on damage to transport infrastructure following the Kaikōura earthquake? JAN LOGIE to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: What is his response to yesterday’s call from members of the Joint Working Group on Pay Equity Principles for the Government to “immediately right this historic wrong and implement the JWG principles”? JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Economic Development: When is he likely to announce a recovery or support package for small businesses in earthquake-affected areas? KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Police: What are New Zealand Police doing to support the Kaikōura community? CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: When did she first discuss the potential impact of Monday’s 7.5 earthquake on NCEA and Scholarship exams with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority? IAN McKELVIE to the Minister for Primary Industries: What recent reports has he received on the impact of the recent earthquakes on the primary sector?
Cabinet papers show the government's one-billion-dollar plan for reorganising Christchurch schools in the wake of the Canterbury earthquakes is one of the most expensive options it could have chosen.
A geotechnical expert from the United States has told the Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes, developers should be required to submit soil reports before building on land prone to liquefaction.
Businesses, farmers and workers in Canterbury are anxiously waiting to see what more the government will do to help after the 7.1 earthquake that devastated the region on Saturday morning.
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.
Law experts have criticised the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act for creating a dangerous precedent. Our political editor Brent Edwards weighs up the arguments for and against the emergency legislation.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister has been forced to concede he's received official advice on the Christchurch City Council selling some of its assets to help pay for rebuilding the city.
Shares in the insurance company, Tower, have plunged close to 20 percent today after it said its profits will likely fall more than 16-million dollars because of Canterbury earthquake claims.
Canterbury farmers say they're at breaking point. A recent Ministry of Health report presented to MPs shows suicide is up 20 percent in rural areas compared with a drop of 10 per cent in cities and towns. Droughts, floods, earthquakes, farm debt, M Bovis, looming water quality reforms and climate change legislation have Canterbury farmers feeling under the pump. Political reporter Jo Moir has been in the region talking to locals like Chris Allen.
Deborah Nation recalls visits to Homebush, the historic Deans homestead near Darfield, the wreckage of which became one of the most viewed images in the first days after the September 2010 Canterbury earthquake.
A study of employees affected by the Canterbury earthquakes has found they're more likely to have jobs - and get better pay - than people in similar roles in other parts of the country.
The Supreme Court has ruled that a class action by Canterbury insurance holders against Southern Response can go ahead. Ali Jones, insurance claimants advocate explains to The Panel what this means for home owners who've been fighting for years to get their fair entitlements.
A second attempt at a symposium aimed at learning from the Canterbury earthquakes has been labelled an attempt to re-write history. The first was cancelled by the previous government two months after it was announced, and after over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars had been spent on preparations. The revamped symposium is a joint venture between the government and the Christchurch City Council.
The Earthquake Commission has been forced into an embarrassing admission that the details of all 83-thousand clients in its Canterbury Home Repair programme have been accidentally emailed to the wrong address.
The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard evidence that a heritage order on a row of dangerous buildings may have contributed to the deaths of a dozen people in the February quake.
Ports of Auckland says incidents such as the strikes which crippled its operations and the Canterbury earthquakes which disrupted the Port of Lyttelton's operations shows New Zealand needs a resilient port sector.
Three years on from the Canterbury earthquakes there is a huge focus on getting the central city back up and running, but some suburban shopping areas are also struggling to attract customers.
The warnings, or lack of them from the government's scientists about the likely size of aftershocks following the first Canterbury earthquake have been a focus of the Royal Commission into the quakes.
After being rocked awake by the massive 7.8 earthquake that hit North Canterbury last November, RNZ reporter Phil Pennington was among the first reporters to be sent to Kaikoura to assess the damage.
An inquiry into the Earthquake Commission has found it was poorly prepared for the Canterbury earthquakes - and has left people with a "deep mistrust of government" that will take years to overcome. The government has this morning released findings from the inquiry, chaired by Dame Silvia Cartwright. Our Christchurch reporter, Conan Young, has been reading through the details and spoke with Māni Dunlop.
Canterbury schools to stay closed until Monday, Earthquake family tries to comfort traumatised children, Christchurch welfare centres start filling up, Independent Australian MPs back Labor, Universities raise fees to maximum, MPs in Parliament pay tribute to people of Canterbury, Prime Minister speaks from Christchurch, and Julia Gillard speaks about the newly formed government.
People living in Christchurch's orange zone will have to wait longer than expected for a decision on whether they can remain in their homes, after the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority missed one of its deadlines.
'Rekindle' is an initiative started since the earthquakes in Canterbury which provides purposeful work for young people by giving them the opportunity to design and fashion furniture from waste wood. Spectrum's Deborah Nation explores 'Rekindle'.
Christchurch's Blessed Sacrament Cathedral was set to be repaired following the Canterbury earthquakes, but the new Bishop Paul Martin has decided it's too expensive and has decided to rebuild closer to the city centre.
Bob Parker, Christchurch mayor and Peter Townsend, chief executive of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce. The Christchurch City Council has unveiled its $2 billion vision for the rebuild of earthquake-hit central Christchurch.
The Bishop of Christchurch has asked parishioners to think about the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Bishop Victoria Matthews is appealing to Canterbury Anglicans to give at least $100,000 for quake relief in Haiti.
Schools are an important part of any community, and two years on from the start of the earthquakes in Canterbury many are still coping with damage to classrooms, and with dramatically reduced rolls.