Christchurch inches towards normality but long haul ahead
Audio, Radio New Zealand
Households in Christchurch are being warned many face a long wait before essential services are restored following last week's earthquake.
Households in Christchurch are being warned many face a long wait before essential services are restored following last week's earthquake.
In the years that have followed the devastating Christchurch earthquake, there have been many stories of the struggles people have faced. Tonight we bring you the tale of the little school in Christchurch's east that took on Wellington's big decision makers and won. Redcliffs School finally reopened last year, after spending the best part of a decade battling for its survival. Our reporter Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nate McKinnon caught up with Redcliffs' principal Rose McInerney to reflect on a tumultuous last 10 years.
Canterbury earthquake victims with the most damaged homes could have to wait more than two and half years for their houses to be fixed - but one owner says her problems are nothing compared to the misery of the Pike River mine disaster.
The owners of more than three-thousand properties damaged by the Canterbury earthquake have been told the repair job could take nearly three years.
An experiment to see if the cast of a play can make friends with their audience in just an hour is the latest project by the country's only theatre company involving people who are - or have been - homeless. As part of the Auckland Fringe Festival, the Hobson Street Theatre Company is working with the Street Choir on That's What Friends Are For.: It's directed by Dr Peter O'Connor from the University of Auckland. He's worked with survivors of natural disasters like the Christchurch earthquakes to help people - especially children - work through the trauma. Lynn Freeman talks with Peter, and with one of the actors, Richard. That's What Friends Are For premieres on Tuesday at the Basement Theatre as part of the Auckland Fringe, before heading to the fringe festivals in Wellington and Dunedin.
Canterbury got a big shock this morning with a long and strong earthquake that sent people running for the nearest door frame. While the region seems to have escaped any major damage, it's left locals thankful it wasn't worse. The quake measured 6.0 on the richter scale and was centred 45 kilometes north of Geraldine. Since then, there have been more than 40 aftershocks. Checkpoint producer Anastasia Hedge has been near the epicentre.
An audit of the Earthquake Commission's quake repairs in Christchurch has found many dissatisfied home owners and others being left in the dark.
Filipino caregivers, after working long hours in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake, are now being denied work permits.
Firms can expect to pay more and wait longer to get goods delivered to their door following the North Canterbury earthquakes.
Today marks one week since the devastating earthquake struck Christchurch. Work within the cordon is continuing.
The Christchurch City Council and the Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, have hammered out a compromise deal over setting the council's long term spending priorities.
Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee says its taking too long to consent new sub divisions in Christchurch. The sharemarket and dollar fall following turmoil on world markets.
Frustrated Christchurch residents are banding together to take on their insurance companies, who they say are taking too long to process their earthquake damage claims.
Emergency grants will be available from tomorrow for Christchurch residents who are no longer able to live in their homes because of earthquake damage.
The campervan company, Tourism Holdings, says it doesn't expect the North Canterbury earthquake to have any material impact on its tourism business in either the near or long-term.
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.
A group of angry Christchurch locals are considering legal action against one of the country's biggest insurance companies because they say their earthquake claims are taking too long to settle.
A Christchurch couple has been told they can't use a driveway that no longer leads to any houses because the Earthquake Recovery Authority may need access to it.
How long does it take to form a first impression of someone, speeding cops, Bob Parker's profile and the Canterbury earthquake, and the latest on Pike River.
Many small businesses in Canterbury are struggling to stay afloat after the earthquake and an insurance and risk management consultant, John Sloan, says one problem is the long wait to get insurance money.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says officials have tried for months to help the Christchurch City Council but it's consistently failed to make the necessary improvements and is still taking far too long to process applications.
International Red Cross Manager Bob McKerrow talks with Deborah Nation about his long career spent helping others. Bob is no stranger to disaster but it's a new experience to see the sufferings of his earthquake-hit home-town of Christchurch.
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.
The sounds of Bruce Springsteen will ring out around Christchurch tonight, ahead of the sixth anniversary of the deadly February 2011 earthquake in the region. Long time fans join us to discuss what they're expecting from tonight's gig.
Its now seven weeks since the February earthquake. Normality is returning to Christchurch, with most sewerage lines fixed and water no longer needing to be boiled before drinking. But that doesn't apply to everyone.
Several thousand people attended the Christchurch red-zoned suburb of Brooklands' swan song gala. About five hundred homes have had to be abandoned because of earthquake damage, meaning Brooklands as it has been known will soon no longer exist.
It's no longer politics as usual in Christchurch following a series of devastating earthquakes. Not everyone in the city and its surrounding areas is happy with last week's offer to buy out those households on land which has suffered the worst damage. Our political editor Brent Edwards investigates.
Topic 1: The Minister for Earthquake Recovery, Gerry Brownlee, was quick to apologise to the Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker for calling him a clown. Topic 2: The Electoral Commission says John Key's hour-long pre-election radio show gave him the chance to raise his personal profile unchallenged.
The woman who fought the odds to regain her mobility after being trapped and crushed in her collapsed work place, the PGC building, when Christchurch was devastated by the earthquake of February 22. She is now helping other quake victims, especially the children of injured parents some of who have had long periods of separation.
It's been a long road to restore Christchurch's Isaac Theatre Royal, but tonight, it will finally open its doors again. The theatre sustained considerable damage in the earthquakes of 22nd February and 13th June 2011 and continuing shakes have made the restoration particularly difficult for architects. The project architect from Warren and Mahoney, is Vanessa Carswell.