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.
Since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake jolted North Canterbury on Monday, the HMNZS Canterbury has evacuated about 640 people, 9.3 tonnes of baggage, a cat, 17 dogs. And, about 30,000 bees. But South Island beekeepers will face ongoing challenges. John Hartnell, is a Canterbury-based board member of Apiculture New Zealand.
Thousands of people are making insurance claims after heavy rain and flooding in the north of New Zealand, especially in Auckland.
Insurance lawyer Peter Woods has worked on property claims for earthquake damage in Canterbury and Marlborough..
He has also been an Independent Specialist Adviser to the government. Peter talks to Lisa Owen.
Rick Wentz is a Chartered geotechnical engineer originally from Northern California who has lived in New Zealand since 2011 - coming here in response to the Christchurch earthquakes. Rick talks to Mark about seismic risk - what it means for the general community and the role of a geotechnical engineering in helping to manage it.
New Zealanders are paying too much for house and contents insurance, according to a new survey. Consumer NZ's price comparison survey shows climate and natural hazard risk is being factored in, and is more expensive than ever. Quotes for a large house differed by more than $3,000 across Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and there's a more than $2,000 difference between the cheapest and most expensive policies on offer for a standard-sized house. If you live somewhere with a higher chance of earthquakes - such as Wellington or Christchurch - you'll be charged more for insurance. The cost of house and contents insurance has risen by 5.6% this year, over the past ten years it's gone up 150%. Kathryn is joined by Consumer NZ's Gemma Rasmussen and Katrina Shanks Chief Executive of Financial Advice New Zealand, which represents independent and professional financial advisors.
A review of the week's news including... The bill to fix botched EQC repairs from the Canterbury earthquakes is now four times what the previous Government predicted just two years ago, immigrants are being computer profiled, MPs are told that medicinal cannabis should be legalised for more people, Middlemore Hospital's woes continue, the Government orders a compulsory recall of 50 thousand vehicles with faulty airbags, Auckland drivers face a double tax hike under proposed sweeping changes to transport funding, Parliament changes the law so New Zealand men with historical homosexual convictions can have them wiped, a bus company wants to recruit more than 100 drivers from overseas because it can't find enough people to do the job here, Dunedin has its biggest weekend ever in terms of money spent thanks to Ed Sheeran, first it was closing - now it's not, Kaikohe's Warehouse is to stay, it all comes together for the New Zealand cricket team against England, an international consortium reaches a verbal agreement to buy the New Zealand Warriors and the woman who was RNZ's Washington correspondent for more than 20 years has died.
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.
The Australian Rugby Union is supporting a call by its New Zealand counterpart for changes to the World Cup cost structure, Canterbury's estimated 30 billion-dollar earthquake rebuild could receive a kick-start from the giant China Development Bank, When it comes to the battlefield of illness and infections, women are far more robust than their male counterparts.
Hide backs Garrett despite passport fraud, Christchurch firms hopeful RBNZ will keep rates on hold, Radio New Zealand's political editor discusses Act turmoil, Earthquake muddies picture on future OCR rises, State of emergency expected to be lifted in Canterbury, Kaikoura slip due to be cleared today and Statue of Battle of Britain hero Sir Keith Park unveiled in London.
Monday marks ten years since the Christchurch earthquake shattered New Zealand's second largest city.
One-hundred-and-eighty five people lost their lives when a magnitude 6.2 quake shook the city apart.
David Berry was one of the first responders in the city centre as part of Urban Search and Rescue.
He speaks to Corin Dann.
Questions to Ministers
1. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Prime Minister: What recent reports has he received on the impact of rising prices on families in light of his statement that "no one is worse off"?
2. AARON GILMORE to the Minister of Finance: How is the Government supporting the earthquake recovery effort in Canterbury?
3. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that his plan to sell public assets would give "New Zealanders a fantastic opportunity to invest in this country's future"?
4. KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Corrections: What progress has been made in using technology to improve public safety and reduce costs in the criminal justice system?
5. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement "each of us can do something that could save someone's job, create a new job for another person or help someone else find a new job as soon as possible"?
6. LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister for Communications and Information Technology: What benefits will ultra-fast broadband services bring to education in New Zealand?
7. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Health: Is it correct that there is a $156 million gap between the amount the Ministry of Health has advised was necessary to meet population and demographic growth in Vote Health for 2011/12 and the amount of new spending allocated for Vote Health in the 2011 Budget?
8. KEVIN HAGUE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement on Breakfast yesterday that "we're constantly changing aquaculture laws, or fishing laws, or whatever it might be. I mean in the case of Sky City, that particular licence is site specific"?
9. JACINDA ARDERN to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that "it is New Zealanders … that create new jobs and opportunities - not the Government"?
10. KATRINA SHANKS to the Minister of Housing: What recent announcement has he made about the Government's response to the Housing Shareholders' Advisory Group report?
11. DARIEN FENTON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement on proposed labour law changes "we are not talking dramatic changes"?
12. JONATHAN YOUNG to the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources: What recent initiatives has the Government undertaken to help New Zealanders control the cost of their power bills?
To Canterbury now where the recent earthquakes have reignited interest in civil defence. Katy Gosset drops in on a major training exercise where there's no shortage of fresh blood.
Christchurch and its surrounding towns are slowly starting to be rebuilt after the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Our political editor Brent Edwards has been in Christchurch to find out whether the rebuild debate will dominate the election campaign in the city.
The EQC has got the green light to start settling the claims of thousands of Christchurch people whose homes became more at risk of flooding after the earthquakes.
A lawyer for the Earthquake Commission has told the High Court there are major holes in the case brought by a Christchurch couple to have their home rebuilt.
Kiwi director Christopher Dudman on his television documentary The Day that Changed My Life, which features those who survived in the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake, 22 February 2011.
When the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes created a city-wide outdoor research laboratory, UC Civil Engineering Professor Misko Cubrinovski gathered as much information as possible. This work has been recognised by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which is presenting him with the 2019 Ralph B. Peck Award for "outstanding contributions to the geotechnical engineering profession through the publication of several insightful field case histories"
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.
The Earthquake Commission has settled with a Christchurch homeowner, just days before their test case was due to be heard at the High Court. Jamie Gibling used his KiwiSaver to buy his first family home in New Brighton after the quakes, believing it had been properly repaired. He later learned the repairs were botched and would cost $300,000 to fix. His "onsold" test case was supposed to be heard on Monday to clarify who was liable. But today EQC announced it had reached a settlement with the family and that agreement would provide a framework for the 54 other claimants also with Shine Lawyers. Finance and EQC Minister Grant Robertson last week announced an "onsold" settlement kitty of $300 million for the next 12 months but legal experts working with claimants have told Checkpoint it could cost taxpayers much much more. EQC's Deputy Chief Executive is Renee Walker. On Thursday she came into the studio and Lisa Owen asked her if the Giblings got what they asked for and if the 54 others who signed up to the class action would get the same.
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.
The new Cabinet is reportedly considering a rebuild plan for the Christchurch Cathedral, damaged in the 2011 earthquake. Supporters of restoring the cathedral say the signs are promising.
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel has experienced her fair share of earthquakes as a resident, MP and then Mayor. She joins Checkpoint.
The EQC says it has enough staff and money in the kitty to respond to the latest earthquakes, despite still having work to do in Christchurch - five years after on.
Farmers in North Canterbury say the earthquake is another blow to a region which has battled drought and volatile lamb and dairy markets
Beverly Forrester farms near Harden which is down the road from Hanmer Springs. Road damage means she's cut off from the outside world, apart from her phone Beverly was caught up in the Christchurch earthquake, so the events of the last 24hrs have been quite trying for her.
The High Court has said 40 Christchurch homeowners wanting to take a class action against earthquake insurer Southern Response can move forward with their claim.
Christchurch woman Pam Sharpe has endured earthquakes, fires and dealing with insurance companies, but then she received a parking ticket. She tells Checkpoint what happened next.
Rachel Conley's family has flown to Christchurch for the first time for the unveiling of the memorial wall. They are staying with a NZ family, whose son died along with Rachel in the earthquake.
The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial was unveiled to the public at a memorial attended by more than 3000 people.
People have been queuing for days for the Bruce Springsteen concert in Christchurch tonight, ahead of the sixth anniversary of the 2011 earthquake. Glenn McCartney is at the front of the queue.
